


The Quest: 薄桜鬼追迹录 Hakuouki Tsuisekiroku

by dark40rcehan



Category: Hakuouki
Genre: AU, F/M, Meiji AU, Multiple Pairings, Oni-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-07
Updated: 2014-08-04
Packaged: 2018-01-23 21:31:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 94,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1580249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dark40rcehan/pseuds/dark40rcehan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Chizuru takes Kazama's hand, and agrees to be his wife, the Shinsen-Gumi embark on a quest to bring her back from Kazama. Little do they realize that Kazama himself is on a quest, in ways that he had never imagined, while Chizuru finds that there was more to herself than she had thought. A slightly AU take on the ending of Hakuouki. Chizuru X leading men</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

She was gone.

To put things more accurately. She had _left_ with that gold-haired bastard, not because she had despised them, the men that had protected her for nigh three years, but because she wished to protect them in return. She had volunteered to be his wife just so that they could live to fight another day.

* * *

" _Oi, baka! Don't rush into things that you have no business with!" Hijikata scolded her as he put his arms around her, despite the fact that she was holding her kodachi before her, as if to strike down the Oni that stood before them._

" _Kazama-san, if it's me you want, it's me you'll have," she pleaded to their supposed enemy. "Please… spare Hijikata-san and the others. Spare the Shinsen-Gumi."_

_Even Harada could not understand why she was acting so stupidly. "Chizuru, you're staying with us!" he demanded, even as he was fighting Shiranui, an accomplice of Kazama._

_There was nothing they could do to steer her away from her resolve. "I can't be a burden to all of you anymore," she told them. "You've done so much to help me… it's the only thing I can do…"_

" _Very well then," Kazama concluded, and held his hand towards hers. "Come…"_

_Steeling her nerves, she gently removed herself from Hijikata's arms and walked three steps forwards. "Arigatou," she thanked them loudly, with a deep, formal bow, and turned towards Kazama, reaching for his outstretched hand._

* * *

They had a late breakfast that morning. There was no one there in the kitchens to cook for them. It took them a long while before they noticed that she was no longer there.

Souji had heard about the attack, but he did not know about the results. He knew that the Oni had retreated, but he did not know that they had took her with them.

"You let Kazama take Chizuru-chan away?" he exclaimed when he realized that Chizuru was no longer in their headquarters. There was not only rage in his face, but also a mixture of sadness and disappointment.

"Souji, Yukimura-kun agreed to go with them," Kondou explained, knowing full-well that the one that Souji had blamed for all this was Hijikata above all. "By doing so, she has cut our losses in the Rasetsu Corps, as well as…"

"You claim to care for her and yet you let her go?" Souji continued, completely ignoring Kondou. Not only Hijikata's expression soured, but Harada's as well. Shinpachi knew better than to try to reason with Souji when he was in such a mood, but he could see that he was not the only one suffering because Chizuru had left. He knew if Saito and Heisuke were still there… things would have been far worse…

Hijikata left the common room without saying a word. Harada could only sit there and drink his tea while the others ate in silence. How could the atmosphere change into something so different in just one night? "It seems like Yukimura-kun's absence strikes deep into the heart of our top command," Sannan mused. He had never seen such… frustration and anger before, not from one person to another, but rather, from within themselves.

That evening, there was a voice long unheard in the dojo. It was Hijikata, sparring with their men. He told all of them to come at him the moment they were ready, and frankly, they were afraid to charge at him. This man rarely entered the dojo, but his fame as a swordsman had spread far. He was a forced to be reckoned with, and now, now that his wrath knew no bounds, the Oni-Fukuchou of the Shinsen-Gumi was another monster altogether. Two men had fallen onto the floor, one with a broken arm and the other a minor concussion. The rest of them were too scared to even move.

"Hijikata-san, if you go around beating our men up, we'd have to recruit more," Souji said, introducing an interruption to the silent tension building up in the dojo.

"We'll play with you if you want to," Harada added, his amber eyes twinkling. He was holding a training-spear in his hands while Souji held a bokken in his. "Just as long as you promise not to take it out on the men. They're too easy for our Oni-Fukuchou."

Hijikata straightened up. "Well then, what are you waiting for?" he asked the two of them, accepting their challenge.

The fight started, and the men were astounded. "Two against one? Hijikata-san is crazy!" one exclaimed.

It seemed as if the three-way duel lasted an eternity, until it caught the attention of Yamazaki and Kondou. "Kondou-san, we must do something!" Yamazaki said to Kondou, who instead told him to stay put.

"They're not fighting each other," Kondou told him, and everyone who could hear him. "They're fighting _together_."

At that clarification, dozens of pairs of eyes focused onto Hijikata, Souji and Harada once more. They were exploiting each other's weaknesses, the fact that Harada's spear was useless in close combat, that Hijikata left himself far too open despite his speed and that Souji attacked in short, powerful bursts that limited the breadth of his attacks, and augmented them with each other's strengths. Hijikata would cover Harada and Souji whenever he moved because he was fast enough, Harada would use his range to defend the others while Souji acted as a front-liner. They were reading one another, understanding each other and hence, learning how best to attack as one unit…

It was a sight that no one had seen before, one that no one expected, and when finally, all three of them fell flat onto the dojo floor, spent and exhausted. "When we get her back, the two of you will back off," Hijikata growled at them between tired pants.

"Hijikata-san, I believe that she has the freedom to choose," Harada admonished him lightly.

"She _will_ choose me," Souji stressed. "The two of you will just have to cry at our wedding."

It was strange that the three of them were entering a conversation like this to begin with. But it only served to prove one more point, that this was just another way they were bonded to one another, because the person that they wanted to protect above all was that particular girl with honey-colored eyes and always a ready smile.

"May be the best man win then," Hijikata grunted, getting up slowly, flicking his hair away from his face. "She'll be back with us even before she knows it."

"Do you even _need_ to say that, Hijikata-san? I'll kill everyone who gets in our way."

"The two of you just try to keep up with me, I"ll make sure to leave you some space to catch up."

"Go to hell, Sanosuke."


	2. The Captive

"We will stay here for the night," Kazama told Chizuru as they stopped in an inn in the center of Kyoto. "I have business to attend to with those damned humans, and I can only leave for our lands when all senseless fighting has ended."

Chizuru did not understand him. "Senseless… fighting?" she asked him. The first time they met was on the battlefield, in the shadows of the Ikedaya, the inn that sheltered Choushu insurgents, where he had managed to wound Okita Souji. The second time they met was during the Kinmon no Hen, where he barred the Shinsen-Gumi from entering Mt. Tennou, and yet another time… at Nijio Castle where he openly tried to take her away. In all those times, she had seen him with his katana brandished high, showing prowess greater than that she had ever seen before, where she sometimes doubted if her caretakers in the Shinsen-Gumi could actually beat him. From all those encounters, he had never once given her the impression that he was averse to violence in any measure.

"Hmph, you really think that I wish to have a part in the humans' design to destroy one another?" he asked her in return, ruby eyes noting the fact that she was scanning him up and down, trying to make sense of his existence. She did not say anything, and kept her head down. She realized that she could not stand to look at him at all. Seeing this sight, he walked towards her and lifted her chin. "Do you fear me, Yukimura Chizuru?"

Chizuru blinked. While it was true that she knew him as a fierce enemy of the Shinsen-Gumi, it was also true that she never once sensed… malevolence from him. He was arrogant, sly and cunning, but never once… evil. It scared her, how easily one presumed to be a threat to her safety to seem so gentle before her. Taking up the will to look him in the eye, she sighed. "I don't know," she answered truthfully. But then again, she had questions for him of her own. "Why are you always targeting the Shinsen-Gumi?"

"I have a debt to the Satsuma-han," Kazama explained plainly, letting go of her. "They defended my clan at the same time your clan was destroyed." He was sure that she already knew about the fate of the Yukimura clan. That bumbling busy-body, Sen-Hime, the scion of the Oni clan in the central regions of Japan, must have already told her of her heritage by now, judging by their friendship. "Once this debt is repaid, I will join my people in hiding."

"What happened to my clan?" she pressed further. For some reason, her hands were shaking. She wanted so much to remember what had befallen her and her family, but all she got was a blank image. Nothing. She could not remember. She knew she should have, but she could not do so no matter how hard she tried.

Kazama sighed and sat down at the corner as he lighted his pipe (Chizuru did not know that he had a smoking habit). "Fire," he answered. "Your entire village was burnt down by the humans that wanted to secure their allegiance, because the daimyo of those lands wanted to rise against the Shogun and your family refused. In the resulting chaos, they killed everyone. Man, woman and child. It is a wonder that you still survive, wielding the kodachi passed down from generations to generations in your family."

"I… can't remember anything," she murmured, falling onto the floor as if her legs had failed her. She gripped onto the fabric of her hakama, tearing at the corner of her eyes.

"You don't have to," he told her. His voice, that baritone of steel harder than that of his katana had turned into something softer. "The past is gone, Chizuru. We are Oni, and we are nigh immortal. If you live a lifetime of mourning for things that cannot be regained, you will suffer immensely. I will not have my future wife suffer thus, and needlessly."

She wanted to rebuke his latter claim, that she was not his future wife, but then again, she might as well be, because she had volunteered to go with him. "Kazama-san…" she murmured his name, not knowing what to say next.

"Come." His voice was strong, commanding, but at the same time, it held a strange quality, one that resembled Hijikata's at times. There was something in his voice that compelled her to move towards him. When she was close enough, he pulled her into his arms and told her, "It was not due to coincidence that we crossed paths in these dark times. I once met you when you were but a child, before your family was destroyed…"

"Eh?" she enquired, her large eyes widening.

"Our troth was plighted at that meeting," he explained. "Our clans _were_ supposed to be joined no matter what happens. I am doing this only to join the clans to increase the unity of our people, so that what happened to your clan will not be repeated to another. The children we will sire will be even more powerful than the both of us, and the other clans will clamor towards us to marry their children to ours… that way, our people will never be separated, bound to each other by blood."

Chizuru grimaced. "I don't want to be your broodmare," she interjected. For the umpteenth time, she was glaring at him although she had willingly agreed to follow him. He realized how… different she looked when her brows were furrowed and the corners of her mouth downturned. Her cheeks reddened, her hands held at either side of her body, as if she was lecturing a naughty child.

Chuckling, he added, "If I would use you as such, I am no better fool that those humans who keep harems of women to sire sons. You are to be my wife, Chizuru. Of course, any children we would have are blessings to us."

She was not satisfied with his answer, somehow. "You're speaking as if I'm already your wife," she continued, the fire of her words seemed to have diminished, but only slightly.

"It is only a matter of time," he returned absently. "A husband and wife among the Oni are equals, Chizuru. I will not force you to do whatever you do not wish to do. All I ask for is only a child from our union. I would give you the world if you wish it once we have it."

"You're not lying, are you?" she asked him further. She did not expect Kazama to say such words at all. She had thought him warlike, an enemy to be feared because of his almost god-like combat skills, because he was fighting for the Satsuma-han…

"Oni do not lie," he reassured her, breaking her from her thoughts. "What purpose would this bring me, even you willingly come to me in the first place?"

Kazama grinned his usual sly grin and she sighed. "So, does this means that you'll not harm the Shinsen-Gumi?" She would not be there, in that little in where the Shinsen-Gumi would not care to look, in his arms even, if she had not bargained for him to stop his attack on the Shinsen-Gumi headquarters. She was now with him, so that she could at least aid them, the men that had always protected her, although she had nothing to give them.

"So long as they do not interfere with my designs, and give up experimenting on the Rasetsu," he answered, his eyes half-closed, speaking lazily. "I can only promise you that I will not purposely encounter them on… personal matters. I am, after all, under the service of the Satsuma-han until my debt is repaid."

"When will your debt be repaid, then?"

"When they achieve utter victory or are utterly defeated," Kazama replied. "However, as things are progressing, I think it would be more of the former than the latter." He did not need to elaborate any more for Chizuru to understand this fact. She had been around the Shinsen-Gumi for quite some time now, she shared their worries, partly caused some of them, and she most definitely knew what they were constantly dealing with. She had heard rumor that the Imperialist forces had imported vast amounts of foreign weapons, despite their former class to expel all foreigners from Japan, and from Kazama, that her father was working for them… Could the Shinsen-Gumi stand against a tide of reckless resistance such as those stirred by Satsuma and Choushu?

She fell silent again. The thought of the Shinsen-Gumi being defeated somehow disturbed her. In her eyes, they could do no wrong, because she knew each and every one of them. They were fighting for a place in the world, fighting to protect those they loved… So far, the Shinsen-Gumi had been undefeated, following the Ikedaya Incendent, and the Kinmon no Hen… Could the Imperialist forces have gained so much strength in such little time?

"Get some sleep," he commanded her. "I will not have you worry over pointless things."

Knowing that there was no use protesting, Chizuru got about preparing for bed once he released her from his arms. To her shock, she discovered that there was only one double futon, a fact that no doubt made Kazama burst into a somewhat diabolical bout of laughter.

"We are Oni, Chizuru, our traditions forbid any sexual relations before marriage." he told her with a slightly crooked smile, a sign that he was amused. "Although I would like to do so, I will not touch you in _that_ manner. We are in this predicament only because there are no more available rooms in this inn. Trust me, I did not arrange this so that I can torture myself." Surely, she was not so much of a temptation for Kazama? Her cheeks were now as read as the camellia flowers of summer, and he grinned even more. "You may not know it, but you are beautiful, you simple-minded girl, even those fools who claim to protect you would agree with me."

"I… I'm going to the bathhouse," she announced, completely ignoring his last set of words, almost violently closing the door. He did not reply, but continued to regard her with that teasingly wolf-like eyes, knowing that they gave her the uttermost discomfort, partly because he suspected it gave her a sense of flattery that she tried to hide, but could not be concealed by the way he made her blush. He knew that she would be in the palm of his hand soon.

* * *

"What… how is this possible?" Sen-hime asked the top commanding officers of the Shinsen-Gumi when she had been summoned to their headquarters. "Chizuru-chan went with Kazama Chikage… to be his bride?"

It was obvious that it was a fact that no one enjoyed at all. "No matter what we did to stop her, she could not be swayed from her decision," Hijikata answered her. "She did it so that Kazama would not attack us in the future."

Sen-hime fell silent. She was acquainted with Kazama Chikage long before this conflict started. Their families were powerful Oni families after all. "To tell the truth, the elders of my family would not disapprove of Kazama's actions," she said in all honesty, which brought much surprise to those of the Shinsen-Gumi. "In fact, there was a rumor that… the Kazama and Yukimura families were supposed to be joined in matrimony, but since the Yukimura clan was destroyed, nothing became concrete…"

Harada would not believe it. "Even if Kazama was betrothed to Chizuru, he should have openly asked for her hand!" he exclaimed. It was not like him to react this way, but he knew that there were others who were trying even harder to conceal their reactions.

"Kazama Chikage is one that will take what he wants, regardless of the method," Kimigiku explained, stating the harsh, but obvious truth.

"As one raised to be somewhat like a prince, it's quite imaginable," Shinpachi reasoned. "He must have thought that Chizuru-chan would just magically dance into his hands."

"We will find her, no matter what it takes," Hijikata proclaimed. "Sen-hime, we would need your help on this. He could have spirited her all the way to his lands by now, we need to know where they are. Once our duties are done, I will personally ensure that she comes back to us."

Sen-hime sighed. "Alright, I'll try to find Chizuru as soon as possible. But know this, if they are already married when you get to her, she cannot return to you. You will incite the wrath of all the Oni clans, and trust me, it is not a fate that even you can bring upon your shoulders."

"We'll just have to make sure that we get her before that happens then," Souji reiterated. "I think it won't be a hard thing to do, even for the Oni-Fukuchou." He radiated confidence, but they knew that it was said just to make them all feel better. Kazama could have married her then and there, and they could not have changed anything at all…

"I wish you good luck then," Sen-hime said, bowing to them as she took her leave. "Don't worry, an Oni wedding is a large and grand affair, I _will_ know if it is going to happen."

Hijikata nodded, and tasked Gen-san to escort their guests out.

"Toshi, are you sure that we don't want to search for Yukimura-kun immediately?" Kondou asked him. "You'd never know if…"

"We don't have the men or the time," Hijikata explained. "If Kazama really wants her as his bride, he won't do anything stupid."

"Besides, if we rushed into things, he might just kill us and all Chizuru-chan's done for us will be wasted," Souji added. "Can't believe that I'm saying this, but I agree with Hijikata-san on this. We'll just have to wait it out this time."

Harada frowned. "There isn't any choice left, is there?" he asked. "Let's hope that Chizuru doesn't fall in love with Kazama before we can save her from him."


	3. The Beginning

She could not believe that she had slept through the morning. It was near afternoon when she awoke, and the room was empty… How long had she been going without any proper sleep? She got up immediately and found a package by the cupboard where the futon was supposed to be kept in.

Lifting up the package, she found a note, written in beautiful handwriting:

_To my future wife,_

_Your old clothes are too tattered and uncomely, I have taken the liberty to destroy them for you. These are your new clothes for now. I will return in the evening._

She sighed. There was no other person in this world who would call her his "future wife", and one that would use such a tone, even when writing a note. It was Kazama. Knowing that she had no choice but to don the clothes that Kazama had bought for her, she undid the package carefully and could not help but smile a little when she realized what it was.

A simple, cotton yukata. Lavender in hue, adorned with a motif of repeating white plums. The obi was a bright fuchsia, a color that was strange to her, but still reminded her somewhat of the blush-colored gi that she always used to wear… It was so simple, yet… it was one that brought an instant smile to her face, because she had always liked her clothes to be simple. She set the yukata and its obi down, and discovered that there were even hair accessories in the package…

Did Kazama think of all this by himself?

Pushing away the thoughts of the leader of the Western Oni clans, Chizuru decided that it would do her good to take a walk out of the inn, partly because no one could recognize her once she dressed like a woman. Thus, she got dressed, set her hair in a simple bun, and got downstairs.

It felt entirely different, not having almost a retinue of men around her as she walked the streets of Kyoto. Every three steps she took, she looked left and right, hoping that no one would recognize her. No one did. She must have passed by almost three shops that she used to frequent with the Shinsen-Gumi, that vegetable-seller she used to visit with Harada, or that tea-shop that sold the most delicious dango with Sen-hime…

Each step she took became harder for her, because of the memories those sights brought her, and for some reason, tears started to well in her eyes. Could she have just left all those memories behind just last night? Could she have been so steel-hearted to do this to herself? Looking at the shop that sold katana where she once stopped with Saito before, she could only remind herself that she was only doing so for the good of the Shinsen-Gumi, to prevent Kazama from attacking them again, because she knew that they would do anything to protect her, and it was a risk that she could not afford to take, because they meant much more to her than she ever dared to admit.

Too tired to face her own thoughts, she decided to sit down at the nearest tea-shop, only to realize that she did not have any money. She had left the Shinsen-Gumi's headquarters at the Nishi Hongan-ji with only the clothes on her back and her kodachi… Sighing, she decided to turn back to the inn.

"What… what are you doing here?" A familiar voice penetrated her troubled mind. She looked up and realized that it was Saito, of all people. There was pure shock on his face and confusion in his deep, blue eyes. Without hesitation, he held her by the wrist and started to lead her out of the tea-shop. "You must go home before you are missed!" he hissed.

Chizuru resisted. They stopped moving at the edges of an alleyway. Moving into the shadows, Chizuru told him softly, "I cannot go back."

Saito's stern expression was unchanged. "Nonsense, that place is the safest for you. Do the others know that you're out here at all?"

"They do," she answered, trying to turn away from Saito. She could not face him. Not now… It was not out of shame, but she feared that if she ever so much as looked at him for a few more seconds, her former resolve would be utterly broken down.

"What… happened?" he asked her, even though he realized that he was not supposed to interact with anyone from the Shinsen-Gumi, now that he was one of the Goryo Eiji, the Guardians of the Imperial Tomb. No one but Hijikata, Kondou and Sannan knew that he was a spy, and that included her as well. But then again… she was never really part of the Shinsen-Gumi. She had been their ward, they her guardians. In return for their protection, out of the goodness of her heart, she cleaned and cooked for them… she had become a presence that filled all the cracks in their fledging organization… How could she leave?

Chizuru cast her eyes to her feet and murmured, "I chose to follow him…"

Saito understood the meaning of those words well enough. He did not need her to explain. She had allowed herself to be abducted by Kazama Chikage, the Oni that wants her as his bride. But… why did she follow him willingly? "I will kill him if he compromises you…"

"Please, don't!" she pleaded. "You're no match for him!" Kazama Chikage was an Oni, the very warrior that wounded Souji so heavily, the Oni that Hijikata faced during the Kinmon No Hen, openly displaying that Hijikata could only hope to one day match his skills…

"Then… why?"

Chizuru found not the words to answer him. She knew he was asking of her, but she could not answer him, because she knew that if she was stronger, perhaps she could have stood her ground, and even tried to engage Kazama in combat, but she could not. A long, uncomfortable silence crept between them, one where he tried his level best to read her, but found himself failing at every measure, and one where she tried to avoid his gaze, planning her words, so that he would be led to never attempt to seek her out – because she would not be able to bear another confrontation between Kazama and anyone in the Shinsen-Gumi any longer.

"I decided to be his wife to unite the Oni clans," she answered him with a heavy sigh. "I wish to belong with my own people."

"You lie," he replied, easily calling her bluff. "I will get to the bottom of this, and I will bring you home, no matter what it takes." He was not there when Sen-hime came to the Shinsen-Gumi headquarters to tell them that Chizuru was one of the Oni race, but he remembered Hijikata telling him so, along with the fact that Kazama Chikage aimed to make her his bride. Saito himself was there the very first time Kazama tried to coerce her to his side.

Usually, Saito had an unreadable expression about him. But this time… he was completely different. There was clearly anger in his gaze, in his furrowed brow, yet it was not directed towards her. If she guessed right, he was… frustrated. Frustrated that he was not there to stop her, or even those back home that could not do anything, perhaps even at Kazama.

"Promise me, Chizuru, that you will take care of yourself until I am able to look for you," Saito pleaded her, knowing that his presence would most definitely be missed henceforth. He held her hands in his, squeezing them for good measure before he left to rejoin the men of the Goryo Eiji.

"Saito-san…" she called after him softly, but he could not hear her any longer. Her voice drowned by the various sounds of the bustling city. Defeated, she decided to continue back to the inn.

She did not meet anyone she knew on the way back, and when she returned to the room she shared with Kazama the night previous, he was already there.

"It seems like you didn't enjoy your first free stroll around the city," he commented. They were Oni, and Oni relished their freedom, but now that Chizuru was no longer a caged (and disguised) bird, she seemed no happier than when she was in the fetters cast around her by the Shinsen-Gumi. "Tell me, what happened?"

Chizuru knew that there was no use avoiding the topic. "I met Saito-san," she answered plainly, throwing her gaze to the world outside their window.

"Hmph, no wonder you have that look on your face," Kazama harrumphed and walked towards her. He was no fool. The Satsuma-han had secretly adopted the Goryo Eiji into their fold, and there were already plans made to attack the Shinsen-Gumi. He had no orders to aid them whatsoever, but he did know that among the plentitude of men Itou Kashitaro took with him when he left the Shinsen-Gumi, two among them were captains of the Shinsen-Gumi's ten Divisions, which meant that they would most likely be close to Chizuru to start with. This Saito person must have been one of them.

She sighed, and turned her attentions to other things. "Thank you for the yukata," she told him. "It's… really nice."

This time, Kazama gave her somewhat of a genuine smile, or at least she thought it was. "I had a thought that you would not enjoy things that are too extravagant, so I decided on this," he elaborated. "It seems that my guess is right." He had seen her once before in women's clothing. She had donned the clothes and makeup of a traditional geisha just a few weeks in a mission for the Shinsen-Gumi. He remembered how… uncomfortable she had looked underneath the heavy layers of silk and naturally deduced that she was better inclined to clothing that was more practical.

"Are… we going anywhere tonight?" she asked him. She was used to being cooped up in once place for extended periods of time, but after meeting Saito in the streets earlier during the day, she knew that her resolve to remain with Kazama might waver even further should she even have a glimpse of the others.

"Yes, we are," he answered. "I will bring you to my clan's residence in the outskirts of the city, where you will be safe from prying eyes. Hopefully, it will be free from cannon-fire as well, should the war break out."

Chizuru's eyes widened at the mention of cannon fire and war. What were the Imperialist forces planning? She knew that tensions were already high, but… could war be actually possible in the nearest time-frame?

"Worried for the peasant-samurai, are we?" he teased her, immediately noticing her distress. "Do not worry, anything can happen in war. Who knows? For all the foreign help, the Imperialists are outnumbered three to one by the soldiers fighting for the Bakufu. Victory for either side is not certain."

For some reason, those words brought some measure of comfort to Chizuru. It meant that the Shinsen-Gumi still had a chance. It was not a concrete chance, but there would still be hope for them. "Kazama-san, will you fight when war is declared as well?"

Kazama nodded. "Given our… abilities, we would be front liners, even," he scoffed. He knew that he would never be a recipient of her worry, but he knew that in the very least, she would enquire of his well-being. It brought some measure of… reassurance to him.

"Kazama-san, please, try to be careful," she told him. Oni, despite their great powers, could still be killed. A rain of bullets or even cannon-fire was enough to kill him, no matter how great a swordsman he was.

"Don't worry about me, I know how to take care of myself on the battlefield," he told her. "Now come, we will leave this inn now."

Thus, they took the streets after Kazama paid the owner of the inn handsomely for their room. Autumn would come soon, and in only a few days, the green leaves of summer would change their colors, taking hues of brown and gold. On the way, Chizuru realized that they were dangerously close to the Nishi Hongan-ji, or rather, one of the routes that she knew would bring them to the Shinsen-Gumi headquarters.

She sighed as they made a different turn. A sigh of relief.

"If you miss them, I would bring you to see them one last time before we leave to return to my lands," he proclaimed. "They, were, after all, your caretakers and companions."

At those words, her head popped up in surprise. "Kazama-san, you'd do that… for me?" she asked him, a smile almost forming on her features, making her seem even more comely than she normally was.

"As I said, Chizuru, Oni fulfill every one of their promises," he answered her in a deliberately cool tone. "Besides, I would like to see the looks on their faces when we give them our wedding invitations."


	4. The Parted Souls

"Fukuchou, I saw Chizuru in a tea-shop two days ago," Saito told Hijikata after he gave the vice-commander his report on the Goryo Eiji. "She… told me she was truly to be Kazama's wife to unite the Oni clans…"

Hijikata sighed. "Yes, it is true," he replied, trying not to remember anything about how Chizuru had pleaded Kazama to stop his attack on their headquarters. "We let her go, because it was her decision to do so."

It was not usual for Saito to reveal any emotion, and Hijikata knew that Saito had cared for the girl to a certain extent. They all did. Although Saito had been calmer than himself or Souji, Hijikata knew that this did not sit well with Saito at all. "You intend to bring her back… after all this conflict has ended," he realized, because he knew that often, Hijikata's courses of actions would always be in his comprehension.

"Yes," Hijikata said, confirming his suspicions. "If Kazama brings her to his lands, we will find them and make sure she comes back with us…"

With that being clear, Saito knew what he had to do. As with everything, he put his trust in Hijikata's leadership, knowing that the man with piercing violet eyes would never bring anything they loved to harm. But somehow, deep down in his gut, a gnawing possibility grew. "What if… she wants to remain with the Oni?" Saito asked. He was sure that it was a query that must have struck Hijikata.

"Then we will fight to see her again, even for the last time." Hijikata's voice carried resolution, preparation for any outcome possible. The faint smile on his handsome features carried hope, even if it was only a fool's hope. Saito understood that expression, and bowed as he took his leave.

It had been only the fourth night since Chizuru's leaving, and he thought as if she had been gone for an eternity. He no longer saw her small, petite form sweeping up the fallen leaves in the courtyard. He took cups of tea, and found that they were too thick, too hot or too bitter… The meals were sometimes too bland or too salty. He no longer tasted Edo in his food (because Chizuru, who would often cook for them was also from Edo), but other tastes that brought him further and further away from home in the capital of Japan…

Knowing that there was no point trying to sleep, Hijikata opened the door to his room and walked into the courtyard, and was greeted by the last full moon of summer, surrounded by brilliant starlight. Looking at the moon, he recalled a legend that the Oni were the children of the moon… he wondered if it was true for her, because she often shone the most under the moonlight…

It was under moonlight that she ran from the Shinsen-Gumi headquarters to reach him to inform them that the Choushu and Tosa Imperialists were meeting at the Ikeda Inn. It was also under moonlight that she encountered Sannan when he first turned into a Rasetsu, refusing to kill him despite his adamant wish… It was under the moonlight that she had spread her arms before him, shielding him from Kazama when his katana had been struck from his hand, offering herself to the Oni for his protection.

It was under the moonlight, that she had dressed up as a geisha to spy on the roshi in Shimabara, at the cost of her safety.

" _I am the Fukuchou of the Shinsen-Gumi, do you think I would simply elope with a geiko?" he asked the caretakers of the various teahouses in Shimabara. He had brought his arm around her shoulders, holding her close to him. At that point of time, he was aware of how fast her heart had been beating… was it because of the situation they were in, or was it due to something else? "I will be taking this woman with me, if you have anything to say about it, please come to our headquarters and we shall settle matters then!"_

He had taken her back from their pursuers after openly proclaiming that he was returning to the headquarters with her, bringing all of Shimabara in an utter uproar. He became the fantasy of the other geisha and the envy of other men – no one could ever have the guts and the authority of the Oni-Fukuchou of the Shinsen-Gumi…

" _You… looked beautiful in your disguise. If you really were a geiko, you would have thousands of men rushing to be your danna," he told her in the aftermath of their little problem at the gates of Shimabara days after their mission had been a success. "In a few years, you'll be a lovely woman, men will begin to fall in love you by the dozens… Kick them to the curb if they don't interest you."_

_Chizuru had blushed redder than the color of the rouge she put on as a geisha upon hearing his words. "Now I know why Hijikata-san is so welcome by other women…" she murmured, casting her eyes down demurely, a small smile visible at the corners of her mouth._

_Easily receiving the meaning of her words, he returned, "Do not think that I am giving you flattery. I don't need to lie through my teeth to sell medicines that were supposed to heal every illness imaginable anymore." He even made a jab on himself, just for the chance that she would smile even more for him… He was duly rewarded_.

He had openly revealed to Harada and Souji that he had fallen for the girl, but he just only realized how deep he had fallen. He had come to rely on her so much in the tiniest of ways, that her absence seemed like a katana pierced directly into his being. Knowing that she was no longer there, finding her shadow where he knew she had always lurked…

It pained him the most that she had chosen this path because she was doing it for them. He would have readily admitted defeat if Kazama had used legitimate means of asking for her hand, as Harada had often iterated whenever Kazama encountered them on the pretext of taking her away.

It pained him even more to know that no matter what he felt for her, no matter how much he wanted to see her again, her return was a low priority for the Shinsen-Gumi. It could function without a missing page. Now that the tensions between the Imperialist and Shogunate forces were so high that war could happen at any moment, he knew that his duties forbade him to even so much as to walk the streets, scanning house to house for her presence. It was a gamble that he had to take, to trust that she could take care of herself in the hands of the enemy.

_Not long after Chizuru's mission in Shimabara, he had met Kazama walking from the direction of their headquarters. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, getting into his battle-stance, katana at the ready._

" _I would advise against attacking me at this time," Kazama interrupted him. "If Yukimura Chizuru isn't here, there is no point fighting you."_

_He snarled. "What do you want her for?" he asked Kazama, anger more and more pronounced the glare he gave the golden-haired Oni._

" _Peasants like you will never realize her worth," Kazama replied simply._

" _I will not surrender neither Chizuru nor the capital to the likes of you," he spat. Looking back, it had been more of a promise to himself, than a threat towards Kazama. He would ensure the safety of both, unknowing that there would come a time when he would have to sacrifice the former or the latter._

Looking up at the silver moon, he called her name. "Chizuru…" a soft call, so soft that no one around him could hear it. It was more than that, a prayer for her safety, a prayer that she would never, ever cast them off, no matter what future she would choose for herself.

* * *

Across the city of Kyoto, Chizuru found herself unable to sleep. It was not the humidity of the summer nights, or the noise of the cicadas, but… something else.

She opened her room's door and realized that instead of a temple buildings, she saw a beautiful, elegant garden. Instead of powerful Buddhist statues, she saw ancient pines and oaks.

Closing her eyes, she imagined a room still well-lit although it was already the middle of the night, its inhabitant toiling into the night with accounts, documents and perhaps top-secret reports related to the running of the Shinsen-Gumi. If it was still lit, then she would silently creep into the kitchens to make a cup of tea for him.

Hijikata Toshizo…

This figure was most enigmatic in her life. She had never met anyone she wished to help any more than she did him. Everyone in the Shinsen-Gumi had their various responsibilities and roles, but it was Hijikata that seemed to have a mountain resting upon his shoulders. She knew that he could have easily delegated the work, but he knew that he trusted no one but himself to finish it all. Just to ensure that he would have a short rest, she would bring him his nightly tea and sometimes something to eat before leaving for her room.

It had been four days since she last brought him his tea. Did Hijikata sleep well these past four days? Stepping off the corridor and putting on her slippers, she walked towards the other garden at the back of Kazama's Kyoto residence and looked at the sakura tree.

At that point of time, the moon was angled just above the sakura, bathing the pink and white blossoms in its gentle light. Such a sight reminded her more and more of Hijikata, because she had decided the first time they met, because the combination of the spring breeze, the light of the moon and his long, black hair reminded her of how sakura petals would blow in the night wind…

" _Listen here, I will kill you if you make any sudden moves," he threatened her at sword-point when he, Souji and Saito had saved her from the Rasetsu who had broken free from their hiding place._ _Due to reasons unbeknownst to her, she felt no fear at that moment. She listened to his words and obeyed them, allowing the men to bind and gag her, bringing her back to their headquarters. At that moment, his voice and his deep, amethyst gaze held every inch of her attention, and time seemed to sit still then…_

A dull pain started to form in her chest. It was not because she was sick or wounded but…

"Hijikata-san…" she murmured under her breath, as though her mental images of the man in her mind would disappear if she said his name any louder. She knew that this path was one that she decided to take, and it was one that she could never back down, because of what it had meant.

She knew that being the last surviving daughter of the Yukimura clan, her duty was to marry Kazama, and strengthen the bonds between both clans in matrimony and in blood. She knew that by doing so, indirectly, it would take Kazama's attentions away from the Shinsen-Gumi, if only in part. So… why was she still so unsure about her decision?

Seeing Saito made it all worse. Although they did not speak directly about the matters surrounding them, she could feel his anguish, his resolve to see her returned back to the Shinsen-Gumi… if even Saito, who had left the Shinsen-Gumi with Itou's men, had a reaction like this, she knew she could not face Hijikata, Souji, Harada, Shinpachi and even Heisuke if she saw them again, no matter how much she wanted to return to the Nishi Hongan-ji.

Knowing that there was nothing more she could do, she walked back to her room and tried to get some sleep, not knowing that there was a pair of ruby-hued eyes watching her every move in the shadows.

Kazama Chikage had been sitting on the roof of his Kyoto manor, observing Chizuru the very moment she left her room. His superior senses caught her speaking the name of that errant human that brought her to him in the first place, and he sighed. What fool would thrust herself to the enemy just to protect a bunch of peasant samurai?

"If you truly wish to win her heart, you would have to open yours to hers first," Amagiri told him, suddenly appearing by his side. "As you know, Yukimura is a woman of iron will, but she is also stubborn. She will cling onto her past, because it is all she has now."

"I don't need you to tell me that," Kazama said brusquely. From the time he had intercepted her during her mission in Shimabara, he already realized that she was more than his targeted bride. It was not her beauty that struck him first, it was her fearlessness. This girl, unable to wield a sword, had plunged herself into the bloodiest areas of conflicts due to her wish to "help", and even more than once used herself as a shield around those useless humans… As the times passed, his interest in her grew deeper, until he realized that somehow or rather, he just _had_ to see her again, never mind the fact that when he had first met her when she was only a child.

Amagiri smiled at his young charge. For centuries, the Amagiri family had been the retainers of the Kazama clan, and so the head of the Amagiri would serve the leader of the Kazama clan. He knew that Kazama had seen him as more of a companion than a retainer, although he rarely showed any inclination towards such notions. Thus, he found it prudent to add, "It would be a blessing to your clan if a union with the last remaining daughter of the Yukimura clan becomes a union of love," he told Kazama. "It would return much needed happiness to you and yours as well."

"The elders of my family expect me to sire a strong heir," he replied in a huff. "Any other achievements would be drowned out from the failure to do so." The traditions of the Oni were strict, more so for those of the Kazama clan. He had been the oldest son, the scion trained for utter leadership of their clan since before his father disappeared into nothingness. Still, he had to follow the strict "advice" of the clan elders, who often berated him for playing too many "games of war" and neglecting his duties to his ancestors while he was repaying the debt of their long, uninterrupted lives by fighting for the Satsuma-han in this current conflict…

"A strong heir must have parents that love each other to teach him how to love before anything else, Kazama," Amagiri stressed before leaving Kazama to his own devices. Kazama Chikage was no fool, and Amagiri hoped for his charge's happiness, even if there was only a small chance of it, considering the many suitors for the Yukimura daughter's hand.


	5. The Aburano Koji Affair

It was now October. Chizuru had stayed in Kazama's Kyoto manor for three months, and in those three months, she learned more of her Oni heritage than she could have in her whole life. It was during this time when she learned that what Kazama had claimed of the human race was not wrong, the humans had sought to use the power of their people in their wars for power and property but still… it did not lead her to believe that it was the absolute truth. Through the men of the Shinsen-Gumi, she had seen for herself the strength and beauty of the human world, and she continued to believe in them.

"It goes to say that we would always believe in what we choose to believe in," Kazama huffed as Chizuru poured him some tea after a particularly heated argument between them. "My wife is a stubborn woman indeed… although that is not an undesirable trait."

"I am not your wife!" she shot back angrily, tired of his teasing and non-conclusive claims over her. "Even… even if we really were betrothed… it happened a long time ago…"Her voice became smaller, blushing as she remembered the fact that when she was a child, her family had already agreed to marry her to Kazama when the time was ripe. She had seen the actual documents of such an engagement for her own eyes, courtesy of Kazama…

"Don't be a fool," Kazama reprimanded. "The truth will forever remain the truth. It will only be a matter of time before you really become my wife." Saying thus, he held her from behind her, snaking his arms around her tiny waist. "I will not release you to the care of anyone else, Chizuru. Mark my words."

Chizuru did not move. Her heart had beaten so much faster, listening to him speak those words into her ear. She did not know how to react to him anymore. It… made her heart flutter, his harsh, but tenderly spoken words, his bold actions towards her, but still, the guilt that settled in her heart knowing that she was starting to welcome such gestures from Kazama… it was too much for her to bear.

"Kazama," Amagiri's voice came from outside the room. "Forgive me for interrupting, but the plan is already in motion."

Chizuru's eyes widened. "Plan… what plan?" she asked Kazama. This time, her heart was pounding, not because of Kazama, but because of something else.

"It seems that there is no hiding from you any longer, you might as well know this then," Kazama said, turning her to face him, he continued, "The Shinsen-Gumi got wind that Itou Kashitarou is going to assassinate Kondou Isami, and they have already sent their own assassins to kill Itou. Now, the Satsuma-han will corner them when they are fighting with the Goryo Eiji and kill them all with one strike."

"No!" Chizuru exclaimed. Heisuke… and Saito, they would be caught in this conflict, they would be killed by both sides if they were not careful… "I have to go and stop them…"

"It is not of your concern," Kazama reminded her. "Chizuru, no matter what you feel about the Shinsen-Gumi, this is the path that they have created for themselves, it is a storm that they will have to weather on their own. Besides, Saito Hajime, one of your protectors, is only acting as a spy for the peasant samurai. He will not be harmed in any way where the Shinsen-Gumi is concerned."

"What about Heisuke-kun?" she asked him, remembering that Hijikata had once said that no mercy would be shown to those who opposed the Shinsen-Gumi, no matter who they were. She knew that Hijikata did not have the heart to kill Heisuke but if it really came to that…

Kazama did not answer her. He would just be repeating what he had said for the umpteenth time. But, he also knew that she would not back down so easily. "We will watch the proceedings, but I want you to promise me that no matter what happens, you will stay by my side and do not make a sound."

"H… hai," she said, her expression lightened a little. Needless to say, Kazama would also be slightly curious towards how things would be going anyways. As they got out the door of the manor, Kazama picked her up and carried her in his arms. "Ka… Kazama-san, what are you doing?"

"Silence, we will move faster this way," he told her, subconsciously noting how light she actually was. Leaping onto the roofs, he ran along with Amagiri through the skyline of Kyoto city, passing through courtyards, houses and the tops of the countless shops to reach Aburano Koji, the street where another battle was unfolding.

* * *

"Heisuke, Itou-san aimed to assassinate Kondou-san," Saito told Heisuke once they were at the riverbank away from the headquarters of Goryo Eiji. "I have already relayed this information to Hijikata-san."

At this point of time, Heisuke understood what Saito had done, but he also did not know why Saito had done it. "Why?" he asked Saito.

"If you wish to return to the Shinsen-Gumi alive, now is the time," Saito added, his face still as unreadable as ever. "They are all waiting for you."

Heisuke fell silent. So, Saito was nothing but a spy in their venture with the Goryo Eiji, and this made him the muddled fool that actually thought that Itou Kashitarou was a true patriot… Could he ever go back to the Shinsen-Gumi? Would he be welcomed back as Saito had said, or would other fates await him?

As he took his time to ponder his future, the other men from the Goryo Eiji arrived. "Saito, Todou! There you are!" they exclaimed. "Itou-sensei has been assassinated by those bastards from the Shinsen-Gumi, they're still there!"

"This is where I make my stand," Saito announced, clearly ignoring whatever they had said. Standing strong and resolute, he cut down the man nearest to him. "I swing my sword only for the Shinsen-Gumi. Heisuke, what is your decision?"

Heisuke was still silent. He ran towards Aburano Koji, with his sword in hand. Saito gave chase after defeating the men around him.

"Heisuke!" Shinpachi greeted him. "Come on, are you going to let Sano steal all the limelight?" It was as if Heisuke had never left the Shinsen-Gumi at all.

Harada grinned. "Heisuke, we need you to come back to help us find Chizuru later," he added, readying his spear. "That bastard Kazama's taken her away."

The men of the Goryo Eiji were utterly stunned. The Shinsen-Gumi were rumored to be arrogant dogs, but the way they talked amongst themselves as if their opponents were nothing but mere insects was enough to bring their blood to boil.

Heisuke scoffed. He raised his katana and walked towards Shinpachi and Harada. "Sano-san and Shinpat-san, you're both assholes," he complained, his voice now strong, regaining the confidence he once held not too many moons ago. "I leave for a few weeks and everything falls apart…" He would no longer waver, after drifting away from them, he realized that his place was with those idiots that stood beside him now. He  _belonged_  with them, and he would never leave them, not while he still drew breath.

"Traitors!" the men of Goryo Eiji spat at Saito and Heisuke, but their curses carried no effect. Blades clashed, and blood was spilled. The warriors of the Shinsen-Gumi stood strong and united, a whole again after too many weeks of separation.

In the dark streets where their eyes could not detect their presence, Chizuru stood with Kazama, watching everything that happened. Her heart soared when she saw Saito and Heisuke now fighting against the Goryo Eiji as brothers in arms as they had always been. She was so happy to see such a sight that a small teardrop formed in the corner of her eye, so happy that she found no words to speak at all.

"Sano-san, why did you idiots let Kazama take Chizuru away?" Heisuke asked Harada as he pierced his katana into the heart of an enemy, proceeding to hack off the head of another. He was young, but had an incredible amount of talent for someone his age. He could have been on par with the likes of Shinpachi or Souji if he put in slightly more effort…

"Long story short, we put her up there with the bastard so he can babysit her for us for a little while," Harada replied jokingly, not knowing that some distance away from them, Kazama harrumphed at such a comment. "Since you and Saito left, we were a little… shorthanded."

It was Saito's turn to enter the conversation. "Apologies," he said, "I was tasked to spy on the enemy by Hijikata-san and Kondou-san."

Shinpachi chuckled, hacking off a few limbs from the men that advanced towards them. "Nah, it doesn't matter, as long as you're back with us," he told them. "Heisuke, this goes for you too!"

They were then interrupted by the sound of a gunshot. "Yo! Nice to see you boys playing so nicely!" a tall, lean figure revealed himself from the shadows, bringing more men with him.

"Shiranui Kyo," Harada addressed the newcomer with much distaste. "What are you doing here?"

"Work, Harada, work," Shiranui replied. Not a few seconds later, Amagiri appeared as well, along with the men of the Satsuma-han. "It looks like you've danced beautifully into our trap."

Chizuru gasped. She had expected the Shinsen-Gumi to be ambushed, but not at this scale… never at this scale. No warrior, no matter how skilled could defeat enemies that clearly outnumbered them five to one, sword against sword. "Kazama-san…" she whimpered, knowing that there was only four of the Shinsen-Gumi against most of their opposing and rival factions.

"The conditions of your coming to my side limit my movements in this battle," Kazama told her coolly. "However, Amagiri and Shiranui are acting under the orders of both Satsuma and Choushu. We cannot guarantee the safety of your beloved peasant samurai if they do not surrender."

Knowing that there was nothing that she could do but to stand and watch… her legs gave in due to the utter shock and she found herself kneeling on the rooftop they were perched on, her body shaking in fear, but not fear for herself, it was fear for them.

They were outnumbered, and with the participation of Amagiri and Shiranui, their chances seemed to be even slimmer. It was at this time when Heisuke decided to settle his score with Amagiri, gained from the Ikedaya Incident.

"Amagiri, you're mine!" Heisuke proclaimed, running towards the Oni, who was most likely two times his size.

"You have regained your resolve and I congratulate you," Amagiri told Heisuke as they exchanged blows. It was hopeless. The boy had improved in the gap between their first duel and their current one, but it was not enough to cover the great divide between them where skill was concerned. "However, to challenge me would be a foolish thing to do!" Seizing Heisuke by the folds of his clothes, Amagiri hoisted the boy up and delivered a powerful punch towards his vital organs, sending him flying backwards.

The boy landed with a thud and started coughing out blood.

"Heisuke!" Chizuru exclaimed, but before any sound got out, Kazama held her close to him and covered her mouth with his hand. The men of the Goryo Eiji would most definitely recognize Chizuru, because most of them were formerly of the Shinsen-Gumi as well, and he would not risk her discovery, for her safety and to avoid the Shinsen-Gumi from realizing her presence.

"If you are discovered, it will not help the Shinsen-Gumi's predicament at all," he whispered into her ear, a fair warning on his part as well. There was little that anyone could do to help in the situation if they wish to go down fighting like they did.

Unable to watch any more, Chizuru turned her head towards Kazama. She had always been fearless, but there was also a limit to her fearlessness. He did not blame her, and instead, brought her deeper into the shadows, holding her ever tighter. Still, she did not ask to leave, and as the seconds passed, her courage returned, little by little, turning her head ever so slightly towards the fighting…

"It seems like you boys need a little help," yet another voice interrupted the proceedings. It was Souji, who had come with Hijikata. There were only the two of them, but their presence was one that greatly increase the foothold the Shinsen-Gumi had on the streets that became a battlefield.

"Okita… Souji!" one man stammered. Souji was famous for being a cold-blooded killer within and without the Shinsen-Gumi, a swordsman of the greatest caliber and talent.

"It's nice to see that I'm actually quite popular," Souji teased Hijikata with a sideways glance towards Hijikata. "So, Hijikata-san, I told you that they needed our help…"

"Get Heisuke out of here," Hijikata growled at Souji, who quickly set towards his task. "You men have little concept of honor, do you not? Itou Kashitarou planned to assassinate our leader, and he have reaped his just rewards, I do not see any need for Choushu and Satsuma to involve their hands in this."

"Forgive our lack of manners, but it is fair game for us to seek victory in any avenue presented to us," Amagiri explained. "The Sat-Chou Alliance cannot survive if the Shinsen-Gumi continues to be a thorn on our sides."

Hijikata was unmoved. "You can come if you dare!" he shouted, rage clearly building within him. "We have taken ten men for each one of us you felled. Only two among you bastards are Oni, what about you humans? If you dare to cross swords with the Shinsen-Gumi, do you want to gamble and see if you can live to tell the tale?"

The men faltered. Once Heisuke had fallen, they thought that they could easily take down the remaining three, but now that both Souji and Hijikata were present, both of them legends in their own right… They knew that their mission was now on the verge of being impossible to complete.

"Feh, you humans are weaklings," Shiranui spat, deciding to call it a day. "Very well, we shall go back to our masters and lick our wounds. Harada, I await our next meeting. Ready your spear until then!"

Harada nodded. "Just make sure I'm the one who'll kill you," he replied confidently.

"One more thing," Hijikata said, gesturing his head towards Amagiri, who gave a polite bow in reply. "Where is Kazama Chikage hiding Chizuru?"

"She is hidden in plain sight," Amagiri answered. "But now, your eyes can only behold the coming war. You will never find her in this state. Give it up. Her union with Kazama is one that will benefit all of the Oni race. Think of it as she doing an act of service towards her people."

Hijikata refused to back down. "We will find her, no matter what it takes," he snarled. "Kazama better be prepared."

"I will relay your sentiments to him," Amagiri replied with yet another bow. "The next time we meet on the battlefield, there will be no mercy."

"Those should be my words to you," Hijikata returned, sheathing his katana as he watched the Imperialists disappear into the night. Turning towards his companions, he told them, "Do not move the bodies. We will make a display of this: those who go against us will meet their end like these guys here."

Saito nodded. "Understood," he uttered before aiding Souji to move Heisuke back to their headquarters. It would be a homecoming long-called for.

"'Hidden in plain sight'… what did Amagiri mean, Hijikata-san?" Harada asked Hijikata, wiping blood off his spear with the clothes of a dead man on the street.

"I don't know," Hijikata sighed. "He's right though. War is coming. I doubt that the Imperialist forces will sit quietly after what happened here. We must begin our preparations now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAN: Here, we have my own little twist on the Aburanokoji Incident. Can't have Hijikata moping and Souji just lying about, huhuhu ^.^ I have to say though, Heisuke took Chizuru's departure rather well. Hmmm. Perhaps not. I would want to ask you guys something... I realized that if I were to follow the story of Hakuouki as we know it, it would drag the plot of the fic for too long. We all know that Kazama's route is shorter, but the fate of the Shinsen-Gumi is sadly shorter and more tragic as well. Is there a way our boys can justify not continuing the fight after their defeat so they can focus on looking for Chizuru?


	6. The Preparations

"Our people are ready to be moved into the villages you have chosen, Kazama," Amagiri reported three nights after the battle that was now named the Aburano Koji Affair, where Itou Kashitarou was assassinated, where the ensuing battle officially claimed several lives of the Shinsen-Gumi, including Toudou Heisuke, the young former captain of its 8th Division. "The move will be complete before the new year."

Chizuru watched Kazama with utmost attention, trying to read him. In the few months she had lived with him, she had discovered that he was not a villain at any rate. In fact, he had fought for his people. It was a noble cause, but… due to his arrogance, and poor choice of words, it would seem that he was intentionally antagonistic towards those who simply fell onto the other side of the chessboard.

Heaving a sigh of relief, along with a puff of smoke, Kazama nodded. "Thank you," he said to Amagiri. "Make sure that the old goats have the best rooms with the lavender incense. I do not want to be lectured on not being a filial son of the clan for not remembering what they liked or not," he added, a comment that made Amagiri smile, one that drew a quiet chuckle from Chizuru. Amagiri bowed and took his leave, and Chizuru was once again alone with Kazama.

This time, there was no wise-cracking from Kazama, only a silent smile, a soft gaze shared between him and his future bride. "Kazama-san, you're not as fierce as you think you are," she told him, as if she was teasing him for the first time. "You're just like…"A sudden silence fell onto Chizuru and her jovial mood changed immediately. Her smile vanished, and her brow became furrowed as they always had been when she first arrived in his manor with him.

"I am just like…?" Kazama probed, hiding the fact that he knew the reason of her silence. There was no doubt that she was strong, but he knew that she would have to one day come to terms that the warriors of the Shinsen-Gumi would pass into memory. They were human, short-lived and mortal, while she was an Oni, immortal so long as no vital organ was damaged. It was a challenge for her, and only her, to overcome, and he knew that although he could prod at it, bring it up for the sake of infuriating or teasing her, it was her that had to manage the aftershocks of memory and emotion where they were concerned.

"Hijikata-san…" she murmured softly. She remembered how Hijikata would scold Heisuke, Shinpachi and Harada for their sometimes childish antics, but mere moments later, he would let them return to their usual foolery. There was even one winter's day when Souji managed to steal his haiku book, and the Oni-Fukuchou of the Shinsen-Gumi started jumping all over the place, trying to get it back from Souji…

Kazama harrumphed. "It seems that he is my chief opponent where your heart is concerned," he commented under his breath. He never claimed to be above jealousy, but he also knew that he could not control where her heart took her to. She was free to choose, and so far, she was still by his side, although he had given her ample opportunities to run and escape, to return to the Shinsen-Gumi when he was not there in the manor… She was still there, because she kept to her word. "Nonetheless, I have information regarding the boy that was wounded at Aburano Koji… are you interested in hearing it?"

Chizuru nodded. "Hai," she answered, and braced herself for the worst.

"Officially, Toudou Heisuke was proclaimed dead," Kazama said, "But… there is a chance where he has chosen become a false Oni."

A Rasetsu… "Heisuke-kun chose to be a Rasetsu…" Chizuru concluded. There was to know whether it had been a good decision or not, but at least, Heisuke was alive.

"It would still be a false life," Kazama said, making his thoughts clear on the issue. "He should have been allowed an honorable death."

"If Heisuke-kun chose it, he must have his own reasons," Chizuru returned, somehow feeling the shadow on her heart being lifted. "Thank you for telling me this."

Kazama did not respond to her thanks. He had more news for her. "The Shinsen-Gumi has also mobilized to the Military Office in Fushimi district, they will defend that position if war breaks out, which might happen any day."

The Shinsen-Gumi were the retainers of the Aizu-han, and the Military Office was organized by the Aizu-han, overseers of the safety to Kyoto, it was only natural that they were sent there. Even a casual observer of war like Chizuru would understand this.

"Who will attack first?" she asked him, becoming exceptionally calm. She was not one for emotional outbursts, but it was when she was most silent when she was felt the most pain or sadness. Clutching at the folds of her yukata, one of the many that Kazama had given her since the very first lavender one, she made her heart ready for anything that Kazama would give her.

"Who knows?" Kazama asked in reply. "It does not matter who first draws blood, but who has the will to fight until the very end." Of course, he knew the exact attack positions, but he decided that it would be better for her not to be privy to any of such knowledge. He did not want to gamble her safety, because he knew that she would most likely run to the Wolves of Mibu with said information, which could complicate matters for him and for her as well.

Chizuru sighed. War was futile, it always was, but she had no choice but to be swept in its course, and now she was struggling to stay afloat. No matter how she saw it, those close to her heart were embroiled in this conflict, and she had no choice but to stay in the muck, no matter how deep it was, just to be with them to whatever end.

"Promise me one thing," Kazama continued, breaking the silence between them. "Promise me that you will not do anything foolish no matter what happens." He lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. His gaze was no longer hard and forceful. "I do not want my future wife to be further embroiled in this bloody war, you should have lived freely, Chizuru, not trapped like this." Trapped? No, she was not trapped, she had locked herself there. She should have been set free by the Shinsen-Gumi the very day they found her, but she chose to stay with them… She had thought that she could find a way to help them…

"I…" she could not speak further. She had lost her voice because she knew that Kazama had seen through her. "Kazama-san, please… let me see them again, at least once before…"

"I refuse to and cannot do so," he told her, bringing her into her arms so that she could not move any further. Her heart was beating so fast that any fool that heard it would have thought that the drums of war had been sounded. "The Satsuma-han knows that you are here as my future wife, if they know that you are allied with the Shinsen-Gumi, they will have my head, and all that I have endeavored for my clan will be for naught. I would rather not suffer such a fate. On another front, I will not return you to them, not after all that I have been through to have you here by my side. You will be safe here, Chizuru, at least from the outcomes of war."

Chizuru whimpered, and curled deeper into his embrace unknowingly. He felt her tears seep onto his chest from the fabric of his yukata, and tightened his hold over her. "Why?" she asked him, demanding an answer although it was so blatantly evident.

"Because you are mine to protect," he answered simply. "You are here because you think you are aiding your bunch of peasant samurai, but you are here because of reasons far larger than you or I. Since you are here, Yukimura Chizuru, I will protect you, down to my last breath…"

She could not understand… how could he be so warm, how could he offer her so much comfort during times like this? He was supposed to be the enemy, the one she had feared because he sought to pull her away from the Shinsen-Gumi… The months she had spent with him had all but changed her perception of him, but still, her heart longed to see those men he called fools again.

"I promise," she gasped, and said nothing more.

* * *

Hijikata walked down the halls of the Military Office in Fushimi and found Souji in his room, seated up and coughing. "Baka, don't open the door so wide if it's too cold for you!" he admonished as he closed said door, leaving only a small gap to allow daylight in.

"Aren't you jumpy today," Souji teased between coughs.

"If you weren't so stubborn in wanting to join the fight, you could have been better today," Hijikata added. "But… without you, Heisuke could not have made it back in time…"

Souji's lips curled into that mischievous smile he always wore. "It's good to see that you realize my worth sometimes, Hijikata-san," he replied. "So, what do you want to talk to me about?" His relationship with Hijikata was one that appeared to be strained at times, but in truth, it went deeper than stern lectures and playful jokes on their parts. Hijikata had seen Souji grow from a child to the man he was, and had been the rare few to witness Souji's tumultuous path to adulthood.

"We have information regarding Chizuru's whereabouts," Hijikata sighed. "If the information can be trusted, Kazama was spotted in a manor across the city with a girl described to be more or less like Chizuru… However, we do not have the manpower to determine its accuracy."

"It's good news at least," Souji offered. He was not able to rise that night when Chizuru left. "At least our prayers for her to be safe are answered." He had come to miss Chizuru's presence. There was no one apart from Kondou to force him to take the bitter medicine prescribed to him, no one to tease until her face turned red…

"So it seems," Hijikata replied, crossing his arms. "Now, I want you to rest, that weird flu of yours if getting out of hand." Weird flu… what an apt euphemism for tuberculosis. There were only two possibilities for those who contracted this disease, they either die a quick, painful death, or become tortured by it as time passed, lasting for even years. Hijikata did not want to guess which one of the two was Souji's case.

"Hai… hai…" Souji countered pleasantly. "Anything the Oni-Fukuchou says."

After having made sure that Souji was back in his futon and asleep, he left the room and headed for his own. Just minutes after having settled down, ready to tackle the mountain of work that awaited him, Kondou entered the room.

"Toshi… I've given some thought into this, and I think that it's better not to take as many men as we've originally planned with me to the audience with Matsudaira-sama later," Kondou said. "I'll take Shimada with me and a few other men but… too many and the defenses here will thin."

Hijikata cocked an eyebrow at Kondou. "That is non-negotiable, Kondou-san," he said. "We cannot risk our Kyokuchou's safety."

"I still think that it isn't a good idea," Kondou said, his brows furrowed. "You'll need all the help you can get."

"If you argue with me further, I'll come with you," Hijikata added defiantly, knowing that even Kondou would not dare expose the two highest ranking officers in the Shinsen-Gumi at the same time.

"Then I can order you to give me fewer men, can I not?" Kondou replied. "Toshi, you know that we're a little short on men, and we need them here."

Hijikata scoffed. "There really isn't any way for me to win this, is there?" he asked Kondou, who only shook his head with a smile. "Might as well… make sure that you be careful. I don't want to send an entire squad out to avenge our careless leader if anything happens."

"You worry too much, Toshi," Kondou said, and decided to leave. He would be late if he did not make a move soon.

Defeated, Hijikata continued on with his work, preparing battle formations because a fierce battle would most likely break out in the coming weeks, if not days. He knew that the smallest advantage they had could tip their scales to victory, but sadly, their only advantage was their numbers, while the enemy was rumored to have vast amounts of Western guns and cannons, their soldiers trained in Western tactics. It was an ironic turn for the Sat-Chou Alliance, seeing that the Choushu-han were the ones who propagated the need to drive Westerners out of Japan in the first place… At the back of his mind, he realized that they had the Rasetsu Corps, headed by Sannan, and now, supported by Heisuke. They would prove a viable asset, but they could only be deployed at night… Was it worth a gamble at all?

There he worked, planning, editing, and consolidating the bits of information they had received regarding the information they had received regarding their enemy. He knew that they were as ready as they would ever be, but there was no harm in making doubly sure about everything single last variable. In his mind, a wide net was cast, and he hoped that it was large enough to cover all the bases that it needed to cover.

"Hijikata-san… Hijikata-san!" Yamazaki's voice shot through the apparent cloud of his mind.

"What is it?" Hijikata asked Yamazaki once he opened the door to his room, finding Yamazaki covered in a thick layer of sweat despite the cold of winter.

"The Kyokuchou has been shot in the shoulder," Yamazaki reported. "We are rushing to save him now."

Hijikata paled immediately. Did he not just speak to Kondou a few hours ago? "How did this happen?"

"Shimada reported that he was shot while returning from Fushimi on horseback. We suspect that the remnants of the Goryo Eiji did it…"

"We must tend to him now!" Hijikata barked, knowing that like Chizuru, Yamazaki had come from a family that specialized in medicine, and would be able to give what medical attention Kondou needed at such a crucial time.

He did not want to see it as an omen, but he knew that with the boldness of the Imperialist forces… he knew that from that point on,  _anything_  could happen. He just hoped that in any case, a certain headstrong, but foolish girl could be depended upon to keep herself out of harm's way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAN: I'm glad that all of you liked the last chapter, and I hope you will enjoy this one as well! Somehow I find it kinda... strange that I've developed a pattern to present Chizuru first followed by the Shinsen-Gumi later. Do tell me if it's a problem for you. I'll try to kick that habit away. Right now I'm wondering whether or not Hijikata should be a Rasetsu, because he didn't even need to face Kazama any more... unless he tried anything sudden and try to take Chizuru back just because, but he's not THAT much of a hot-head, isn't he. HMMM.


	7. The Battle of Toba-Fushimi

Cannon fire rained during fourth day of the New Year in 4th Year of Keiou (1868). It was a time when sword no longer clashed against sword in the fight for supremacy of the Japanese nation, but when the katana of the bushi was faced against the cold, accurate weapons from the West.

With the injuries of Kondou Isami and the weak condition of Okita Souji due to sickness, they had been sent to Osaka Castle to recuperate while command of the Shinsen-Gumi was entrusted to Hijikata Toshizou. Operating from the Fushimi Military Office, the center of the Bakufu's military control in Kyoto, the Shinsen-Gumi set out on three fronts, their aim being Gokunomiya Temple.

The first was headed by Nagakura Shinpachi, Captain of the 2nd Division, headed towards the main Satsuma encampment. Acting as his vanguard was Harada Sanosuke, Captain of the 10th Division and his unit, both fighting with the intent of destroying the dragon's head. A second assault was led by Saito Hajime, Captain of the 3rd Division, his goal was to stop the batteries located at high ground, within the protection of Ryo-un Temple. Hijikata led the remaining men they had, fighting towards Gokunomiya Temple in a different position from that of Shinpachi and Harada.

They had thought that sheer volume of numbers was enough to defeat the rebels. They could have never been more wrong.

The Imperialist forces were armed with Western guns that had long range, along with great accuracy, while the battery at Ryo-un Temple was equipped with Howitzer cannons and Gatling guns. These weapons combined proved an enemy greater than any other, because one simple shot was enough to take twenty men down, turning them into unrecognizable pulps of flesh, bone and sinew.

No matter how many men tried to break the lines of the Imperialist soldiers, they would be shot down by a storm of bullets. They never stood a chance against such a force.

"The cannon-fire will finish them," Kazama mused from his vantage point in the trees. This time, he did not bring Chizuru along, fearing more for her safety than her return to the gang of peasant samurai. From where he was standing, it was not difficult to notice the large clouds of men, decked in teal haori running towards their doom at gunpoint.

"It is a terrible fate to be raised a warrior and realize that the sword is powerless against reckless technology," Amagiri commented. The sword was still the soul of the samurai, the meaning of their very lives, yet a mere peasant with reasonable aim could kill said samurai with a well-placed shot with a rifle… The irony of the situation flowed manifold, present in every single death dealt to the Bakufu forces.

Kazama agreed with Amagiri. "They have been swollen by the times," he concluded, drawing his own katana, as if he was facing some unseen enemy. "Now that the Satsuma-han is sure to have attained victory, our debt is now repaid. I do not wish to be part of this any longer. We should return to our people as soon as possible."

"And what of Yukimura Chizuru?" Amagiri asked him. "Will you bring her with you as well?"

"Of course," Kazama replied nonchalantly. "She has promised to be my bride, did she not? I will bring her as far away from the foolishness of humans before she is further tainted by their stupidity and corruption."

* * *

Each cannon blast made Chizuru's heart sink further down. Looking at the smoke and fire that engulfed Kyoto city in darkness and ash, listening to the death throes of men sounding after terribly loud gunshots… she knew that there was no chance that those fighting for the Bakufu ever had a chance of victory in this battle.

To make things worse, Kazama had somehow sealed the door to her room, leaving only one window open to let air and light in. He had named such a measure a precaution for her safety, and although she appreciated it, she knew that her place was not holed up in this manor… it was with the men fighting in the battle. It made her realize more than ever that she wished to be with the Shinsen-Gumi, to see their faces again, even in the height of battle.

She had endeavored to break the doors by cutting them with her kodachi, but every time she tried to make a cut, some sort of energy would push the blade back… She had never seen anything like it before. She did not even know that Kazama was even capable of doing something like this…

"The Kazama clan is famous for their skill in placing secret defenses to protect their hiding places," a voice came through the window. It was a voice that Chizuru recognized… It belonged to one Nagumo Kaoru, the girl that looked like her, as if she was her twin. "Kazama Chikage, as their clan-leader is more powerful than you think he is."

"Kaoru-san?" Chizuru enquired, curious as to how Kaoru had come by such information, wondering how she was able to infiltrate Kazama's manor while he was still on the front lines.

Kaoru moved towards the window and met Chizuru face to face. "Yes, it is me. It has been a long time since we last met, Chizuru, hasn't it?" Those words were mere words of greeting, but somehow… it brought a certain chill down Chizuru's spine. As honeyed gaze met with honeyed gaze, she could not help but feel that the other girl had something hidden in her sleeve, something sinister…

"What do you want with me?" she asked Kaoru. At that point of time, she did not know if Kaoru was a friend or an enemy, but she knew that it was nothing so simple was wanting to see her again… They were in the middle of a battle and Kaoru had entered the Kazama manor as an unannounced guest, Chizuru knew that there was something that Kaoru was after.

"Is it so bad of me to congratulate my younger sister on becoming the future daughter in law to the Kazama clan?" Kaoru asked her. Younger sister? Chizuru had no memory of having any siblings… She had been an only child.

Kaoru's apparently sweet smile turned into something vile, one of mockery and disgust. "You've seemed to have forgotten that you have an older twin brother, dear sister. If you want proof then look at your kodachi. It is made to be a pair with my katana. They have been in our family for generations. Whoever in possession of these weapons are the successors of the Yukimura clan, why do you think you have held that kodachi for so long?"

Her kodachi… yes Kazama had made mention of it before. It had been the symbol of the Yukimura clan, the most powerful Oni clan in the eastern territories of Japan but… if she and Kaoru were indeed siblings, how did they come to be separated?

Kaoru chuckled. "Well, I guess it doesn't help at all to delve too deeply into the past, particularly if you cannot remember it," she… or rather, he, continued. "Look, I am here to help you escape your second cage. You want to know what's happened to the Shinsen-Gumi, don't you?"

Chizuru did not answer, even if it was her heart's desire to do so. "I… made a promise to Kazama-san that I'd stay here no matter what happens," she told Kaoru. If there was one thing she had learned from her days with Kazama, it was that Oni fulfilled their promises.

"Then you will not care that the remnants of the Goryo Eiji has shot down Kondou Isami? That the Shinsen-Gumi is now facing a three-front battle and would most likely face defeat?" Kaoru pressed further. If Chizuru was to have any weaknesses, it would most likely be the Shinsen-Gumi. The very fact that she was now currently trapped like a bird in a gilded cage in Kazama's manor was the very product of said weakness. "Or brave Okita Souji has been consumed by a deeper attack of tuberculosis after his bravery during the Aburano Koji Affair? Oh, and the Bakufu's forces are in utter disarray, because the Sat-Chou Alliance has the Imperial Brocade Banners. They are now the Imperial Army and the Bakufu's soldiers are mere rebels…"

Kaoru's words could have been true, but Chizuru knew better than to trust the words of a crazed stranger claiming to be her older twin brother. "I don't believe you…" she said, her voice already shaking as the sounds of cannons being fired was once again heard.

"Would I lie to my dear younger sister?" Kaoru continued. "I… who have protected you from the shadows…" Kaoru did not speak further, because he leapt backwards to avoid an attack from above him… It was then when Chizuru sensed the arrival of an overwhelmingly familiar presence.

"Stay away from her," Kazama growled. "If you wish to protect her, you will entrust her to my care."

"You?" Kaoru spat. "What difference have you made moving my sister from one gilded cage to another?"

Kazama did not waste any time and prepared to strike Kaoru again. "When this battle ends, she will be free," Kazama replied. "She will be my bride, and you, my dutiful brother-in-law."

Brother-in-law? Did it mean that Kaoru was truly her older brother? "Did I not tell you I was speaking the truth, Chizuru?" Kaoru asked, looking back at Chizuru, who was still trapped in her room. "Kazama Chikage wishes to keep you for himself… he doesn't give a damn about what you feel for the Shinsen-Gumi…"

Before he could speak again, Kazama broke the stalemate between them and charged forwards, managing to wound Kaoru in the arm. "Oni fighting one another is pointless," he said, glaring at Kaoru's already healing wound. "I have no intent in killing the scion of another Oni clan, whether you are from the Yukimura or Nagumo clan, especially when you clearly cannot defeat me as you are now. Leave before I change my mind."

"I will kill you the next time we meet, Kazama Chikage," Kaoru swore before leaping into the trees above them, disappearing with the coming gust of wind.

"Kazama-san, let me out, please!" Chizuru pleaded when she knew that Kaoru was gone. Without saying a word, Kazama touched the shoji doors to her room, and within seconds, she was able to open it again. Their eyes met the moment she got out into the corridor, and a long silence was held between them. In that silence, he read her apparent anguish, and knew immediately what was on her mind.

"The Shinsen-Gumi has retreated to Osaka Castle with the Shogun," he told her after breaking his gaze on her. "That is all I know about your beloved peasant samurai."

For the first time, she embraced him on her own volition. "Thank you for telling me that," she said, feeling his strong arms envelop her body. She did not need him to tell her that the Bakufu's forces were utterly defeated, even with their superior numbers. She had the ears to hear the cannon fire and the constant din of roaring Western guns to cement that fact.

"With this victory, all of the debts the western Oni clans to the Sat-Chou Alliance have been repaid manifold," Kazama added. "We are free to act as we will now."

"And you will return to your lands with Amagiri?" Chizuru asked him, slightly pulling away from him so she could look upon his face to gauge his expression.

"And you as well, Chizuru," he told her, reminding her that she was no longer Yukimura Chizuru, the Shinsen-Gumi's ward and page, but Yukimura Chizuru, the scion of the once-powerful Yukimura clan, his future wife. He took her hand in his, bringing up to her eye-level and continued, "There, you will no longer have to see all this death and decay… But… I sense that is not what you want now, is it not?"

Chizuru blinked. She had half expected Kazama to want to bring her back to the Kazama lands immediately, now that the Satsuma and Choushu-han held utter supremacy over Japan. "What do you mean?" she asked him.

"The Shinsen-Gumi have retreated to Osaka Castle, but they will find it utterly indefensible," Kazama said, tucking her head underneath his chin. "In that case, they will have only one choice, to head into Edo to hopes to recuperate and regain their losses. If they are lucky, they will be able to defeat the Sat-Chou Alliance there, but if they fail yet again, they will be forced to move further north, perhaps all the way until Hokkaido…"

Chizuru listened as Kazama conveyed the information he had withheld from her because he had been in the service of the Satsuma-han at the time he received them. The very thought of having to fight in the utter cold of the north… she wondered if the Shinsen-Gumi could withstand such harsh climes, because most of them were from Edo…

"If it is your wish, then I shall allow you to see them for one last time before we retreat to my family's lands," Kazama told her. "One night and day, and you will have to lay down whatever you held in the past, and live for the future." He was doing it only because he knew that those country fools was the only thing in her mind right now, and since the moving of his people would still take time, they could afford to delay their return for a while. He would not mind a small sacrifice on his part so that she would be able to lay them down from her heart, to let them go because she would be forced to do so sooner or later. Perhaps he wanted her to have a chance to bid them farewell before it was too late… he did not care anymore.

"Arigatou," she murmured, finding no other words at all to thank him.

"If you do not return to me after that, I shall have to kill all of them to get you back," he warned her after the tenderness of the moment had passed. "You shall have to decide if you want their blood on your hands, my future wife."

"Hai."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAN: So... Kazama actually cuts the quest short for the Shinsen-Gumi... or does he? Once again, I would like to receive your input, this time on Yukimura Koudou. Obviously, Kazama won't tolerate Chizuru's old man running here and there creating Rasetsu all over the place, so what will he do with Koudou?


	8. The Brief Reunion

The Shinsen-Gumi had sought refuge at the Kamaya in Shinagawa, Edo following their defeat at the hands of the armies of the Sat-Chou Alliance. The tables had turned, and they were now the rebels. They who had fought to defend the capital of Kyoto from those who would destroy the peace were instead driven back to where they had originated from. It was an irony that bordered upon insult. One that the Shinsen-Gumi found extremely difficult to swallow.

Hijikata knew that there was much work to do. Their ranks had to be replenished, their list of allies, although already thin, had to grow, and more importantly, they had to regain their strength. He could not stop now. He was no fool to actually believe that they would have won the war without trying, but he realized that there was more to the war than he had expected.

It was then when he realized that their main problem was the Shinsen-Gumi itself. For the past five years, they had been functioning as a police force, peacekeepers to keep the ronin that flocked under the standards of the Sat-Chou Alliance like flies around rotting meat in line in Kyoto. They themselves had no proper military training, nor experience save for the one that they had just lost – the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. They had become arrogant with their victories over minor skirmishes, and they had paid the price.

Another problem would be their size. At its largest, the Shinsen-Gumi was numbered to have 130 members apart from their top command lines. Such a small faction had never been enough to defeat entire armies, no matter how capable they were. Had it been only a fool's hope, to think that they could have changed the fates of the Bakufu in war?

He worked day into night, writing letters to their allies, thinking up new strategies for what remained of their once-glorious organization… One cold morning when the sun had only just risen, he thought he heard Chizuru's voice calling towards him.

"Hijikata-san, you must rest," she said, creeping to his side cautiously, placing a cup of steaming tea on his table. "I… I can tell from your face that you're exhausted, please…"

Just as he was about to open his mouth to rebuke her claims, to tell her that she should mind her own business, he turned and realized that there was no one there. No Chizuru, and no cup of tea. Had he been so overworked that he was hallucinating? The bigger question was, did he miss her so much that he was starting to hear her voice when she was not there? No… he had no time to involve himself in the matters of the heart, not when there was so much work to do.

A few moments passed and this time, a real voice came from his door. "Fukuchou," Shimada called. Taking a deep breath, he admitted Shimada into his room.

"What is it?" he asked Shimada gruffly, perhaps even more so than usual.

"The official we were going to meet today has sent word," Shimada reported. "He would be unable to fulfill his promise to meet us at the allotted hour. He would prefer to meet us at another time."

Hijikata put down his brush violently and threw on his black formal haori in a hurry. "I will give the bastard a piece of my mine today, we need an immediate answer," he said and announced that he was heading out. No one dared to block his path. With Kondou currently indisposed, he was the head of the Shinsen-Gumi, whatever he said was law.

"He will work himself to death," Saito commented as he passed by Shimada, who was still standing at Hijikata's door. "Perhaps, it is the way he deals with the outcomes of our… misadventures."

"He's been like this since we came to Edo," Shimada added. "Between working in his room and meeting with the officials of the Bakufu here in Edo… the rest of the men are wondering if he even sleeps or eats."

Saito agreed with Shimada whole-heartedly. "He needs someone to act as a sheath for him," Saito said. "Someone to stop him when he's in such moods, to make him see sense."

"It's a pity that we couldn't retrieve Yukimura-kun before leaving for Osaka," Shimada sighed. "If Yamazaki had already confirmed her location, I thought that the Fukuchou would have at least sent some men to get her back…"

"It is a pity, but we did not have the men to go so far into the city just to retrieve one woman," Saito explained. He was sure that Hijikata would have done everything he could to bring Chizuru back, but the fact of the matter is they could not do so when they were dying left right and center in the battle-field. He himself, would have gone through whatever risk to have her back with them, but even he knew that they had other duties more important than saving her. Besides, she had gone with Kazama on her own volition, it had been her decision to make and she would have to bear the consequences of that decision, whatever they were.

"But…"

"He cares for Yukimura, let there be no mistake about that," Saito elaborated, perhaps, placing a small hint of his own heart into the matter as well. "However, there are duties that Hijikata-san cannot neglect, no matter how he feels about pursuing the other route." Knowing that there was no way around the issue, Shimada decided to let it rest and get on with his other tasks. It was, after all, another day usual day for the Shinsen-Gumi.

Saito, on the other hand, made his way towards the backyard, where there was less traffic. At those troubled times, he preferred the quiet to quieten his mind, especially when everyone else was kept on the edge due to their defeat. Tensions were high there in the Shinsen-Gumi and he had a mind that they would run higher still unless things did not change for the better.

It was then when he detected an additional presence. A sudden flare of Ki that alarmed him. Unsheathing his katana, he pointed it towards the direction of the intruder. "Who goes there?" he asked, increasing the severity of his voice. "Reveal yourself or I will be forced to cut you down where you stand."

"Saito-san?"

"Yukimura!" Saito exclaimed in awe. How could she have found them when they did not even manage to ascertain her location any more than piecemeal guesses? But there she was, standing there before him, dressed in a simple yukata, her kodachi held in her hand… There was no doubt that it was her! He walked towards her and held her by her shoulders. "You are… real…" he commented in surprise. She was warm to the touch, not a figment of his imagination.

"I'm back," she proclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes. With a sudden boldness, she felt Saito wrap his arms around her body, pulling her close to him. She did not understand why Saito did it, but somehow… she felt safe in his arms, even safer than she had felt in Kazama's (although she knew that it was in poor form for her to determine such differences).

"The others will be overjoyed if they know that you are back," he told her, pulling away from her all of a sudden. Gently, he took her hand and led her towards a set of rooms that were set a little further apart from that of the others. There, the rooms were opened, each revealing their tenants. Her face lit up the very moment she saw every single one of them.

"Chizuru!" Harada and Shinpachi chorused, both of them quickly getting on their feet to greet her, while Souji merely smiled at her, being bedridden due to his condition. Yamazaki and Shimada greeted her as well, both of them smiling widely, knowing that she had returned.

"It's good to see all of you again," she said, giving them a formal greeting bow. "I'm… I'm sorry for making you worry…" She could not help it anymore. She promised herself that she would not cry when she saw them, but… she was too happy to see them again…

Harada patted her head and wiped her tears with the back of his hand. "Baka, you're back with us now, and that's the important thing," he told her. Words could not describe how glad he was to see her again, alive and well. She was even in a kimono, a welcome change from seeing her wearing men's clothes all the time.

They decided to gather at Souji's room, where they told her the comings and goings of the Shinsen-Gumi ever since she left them. The most alarming news she had heard was that Inoe Gensaburou, affectionately known to them as Gen-san, had passed on in combat. He was cut down by agents of the Yodo-han, who had turned from the Bakufu's forces and switched sides to that of the Sat-Chou Alliance, now known as the Imperial Army.

"We got Heisuke and Saito back shortly before the battle started," Souji told her, all of them ignorant of the fact that she was there, literally hidden in plain sight, during the Aburano Koji Affair. "It was a bloody fight but we've got them back in one piece… Heisuke suffered a great number of wounds though… he chose to be a Rasetsu…"

Chizuru fell silent for a moment, collecting her feelings. It was one thing to know about such a calamity from Kazama, but it was even harder for her to take when such news had been delivered to her by them… "I… should have been there with you," she told all of them. "I…"

"Still you couldn't have changed anything," Saito told her. His tone and manner was cold as always, but she knew that he meant well. He always meant well. "We would have made our decisions whether or not you were there. You have made yours as well, it seems."

"Chizuru-chan, I hear that you are to be a bride soon," Souji added, emerald eyes looking straight at her. "We're all happy to know that you're back here, but I'm sure that Kazama won't let you go so easily… You won't stay here for long, won't you?"

Chizuru shook her head. "Kazama-san will come get me at dawn," she told them. "His debt to the Satsuma-han has been fulfilled and he will retreat into his lands with the rest of his people."

Those words brought much enlightenment to them. "So… the Oni weren't really fighting for the Sat-Chou Alliance?" Nagakura asked her. "It's just to clear a debt?" Chizuru nodded and said nothing else. Once again a great silence swept over them, and it was long and heavy.

"He's a bastard," Souji proclaimed. "And here we are, thinking that he's willing to give our adorable little ward back to us…"

"Maa, we don't really have a choice, don't we?" Harada concluded. "We'll just have to make the best of today. It's a shame that Hijikata-san's gone out though, he would be very, very happy to see you."

"And Heisuke too," Shinpachi added. "He wouldn't stop going down our throats when he knew that you left. He's sleeping now, but he'll be overjoyed when he sees you."'

* * *

"Are you sure that you've made the right choice to bring her back to the Shinsen-Gumi?" Amagiri asked Kazama as they watched Chizuru's reunion with them from their vantage point among the trees. Kazama had been adamant about not allowing Chizuru to see them, even going as far as to placing a seal on her door. What had caused such a change of heart on Kazama's part?

Sighing, Kazama answered, "I would rather her farewell them now when they are still alive than have her bid her farewells to them to their shadows or graves." If there was anything he knew about Chizuru, it was that she had cherished the relationships she had built with the Shinsen-Gumi above all. They were not only her protectors, but her friends as well. While it was true that some of them stood as his rivals for her hand and heart, there were others who took it upon themselves to be her surrogate brothers and even father-figures. "I would rather compete with living memories than the shadows of the departed."

Amagiri crossed his arms. "So you are forcing upon her the pain of separation now before they get even more painful for her to take in the future," he concluded. "Is it wise? What if she remains there?"

"She has promised me that she would return," Kazama said. "I will kill every one of those dogs if they dare to stop her from fulfilling her promise."

"I doubt that it would come to that end," Amagiri countered. "Yukimura Chizuru has proven herself to be a woman of her word. I hope that your plan is a success."

Kazama nodded and let Amagiri leave. He would continue his watch on Chizuru and the peasant samurai alone.

* * *

Night had fallen, and even Heisuke got to meet Chizuru mere moments after he had awoken. It pleased him more than anything to see her again, although he almost did not recognize her in women's clothing. The last time he had seen her don a kimono was during her mission to infiltrate Shimabara and even then, he had been shocked beyond words by her apparent beauty.

"It's a shame that you'd have to go away at dawn though," Heisuke said, almost pouting. "Why couldn't you stay with us for longer?"

"Heisuke, it's not like it's something that Chizuru has a say on," Harada chided Heisuke. It was already hard on them to know that she was there only because of Kazama's good graces. "Don't make it harder for her than it already is."

Heisuke fell silent and decided that Harada was right. "Well then, let's make this night last as long as possible!" he proclaimed, and started thinking about ways to spend what little time they had left with Chizuru.

"Baka, Chizuru's not going to spend the whole night with you," Shinpachi said, hitting Heisuke on the head with a balled fist.

"Eh? Why?" Heisuke demanded, rubbing the spot where Shinpachi had hit him. "Shinpat-san, that hurt you know!"

Souji chuckled, and answered, "What about Hijikara-san, Heisuke. Surely Chizuru-chan wants to see him as well?"

"And just who am I seeing?" Hijikata's voice interrupted all of them. "Seriously, I thought I told you to leave Souji alone… He doesn't have enough rest as it is…" Violet eyes scanned Souji's room, glaring at the rascals one by one until his gaze fell onto one that he was sure that he had not seen for a long time. "Chizuru!" he exclaimed, shocked the very core of his being to see her seated next to Souji, right in front of him.

Chizuru smiled and stood up to greet with him a bow. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Hijikata-san," she said to him, but after his initial shock, he did not show any further reaction to her presence. It… worried her somehow.

"Come," he barked in his usual manner, and turned towards the other end of the corridor, towards his room. He did not give her any chance to reply, but took her by the wrist and started walking forwards. The rest of them remained quiet and waited for them to leave before restarting their conversation.

They did not enter Hijikata's room. Instead, they stopped at the empty room right next to his. "This room had been meant for you," he told her, opening the shoji doors. Still holding her hand, he entered the room and closed the door once she got in as well. It was only then when he lost all composure and held her close to him. "Baka, you should never have left with that bastard," he told her. "You should have stayed with us…"

"Hijikata-san…" she murmured his name, unconsciously putting her arms around him as well. "I've missed you…"

"Every day without you was torture," he told her, stroking her long, dark hair. "I realized that more than ever, I cannot function without you by my side… Do you know how I felt when you took that bastard's hand and left us? I was gutted, that you of all people, would offer yourself up to the devil himself just so that he won't attack us…"

"I… I couldn't do anything else," Chizuru told him. "Hijikata-san, you and everyone else protected me ever since the day you met me… I couldn't let him do anything to you."

"I… shouldn't have let you go that day," Hijikata continued. "I want to protect you more than anything, Chizuru. I see it now. I have fallen in love with you. Not a day passes when I see and hear you even when you're not here…" Slowly moving backwards so he could look at her clearly, so he could regard her likeness once again, etch her beauty into the reserves of his mind, even if she was crying, either out of joy or something else. "I love you," he repeated, and kissed her.

In that kiss, Chizuru felt as if the world had stopped moving, and only the two of them remain. In that kiss, she felt his anguish, his relief, and more importantly his love. So… this was how it felt to be loved… She had loved him as well, knowing that among all the souls in the Shinsen-Gumi, it was he that she could never put down from the recesses of her mind.

But even Hijikata knew that although he loved her, it was impossible to ask Chizuru to stay by his side at that current time. They had a war to fight, a war where deep in his heart, he knew that the chances of victory were even bleaker than before, and Chizuru… she had promised herself to Kazama. "When will you leave?" he asked her, knowing for the moment he laid eyes on her again that this meeting would be brief.

"At dawn," she answered, turning towards the window.

"I will cut Kazama down if he tries to take you away from me," he said to her. "I won't let you leave again." It was only a wishful thought. He had to say those words out loud, because he would not be able to live with himself if he had not at least put up a front.

"You can't," she told him. "You need to lead the Shinsen-Gumi… you need to protect everyone else…" She had loved the wrong kind of man. She had loved a man whose responsibilities weighed heavier than the mountains.

"Then wait for me, Chizuru," he told her. "Let that bastard bring you back to his lands. After our duties end, I will bring the Shinsen-Gumi back to you. We will storm his lands and bring you home with us. I promise you."

He kissed her again. This time, it was not as consuming as the first, not as fiery, but something sweeter, filled with hope and promise. He would have to let her go this time… but he swore to himself and whatever powers that existed, that he will fight until his very last breath to see her by his side again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAN: MUAH. HAH. HAH. Yep, finally, Hijikata spills the beans to Chizuru. If you were wondering, I used the material from Hekketsuroku's (Season 2) Episodes 9 and 10 for Hijikata's part. This is a very, very long chapter for me. I rarely go beyond 2k words per chapter and this has 3186 accord to MS Word, but meh, I had utmost fun writing this! Trust me, all you Kazama X Chizuru fans, I hear you, but still, after all that crap that Hijikata will be going through after this, this might be a balm for his soul. Makes him an even worthier opponent for Kazama later on, no?


	9. The Men Who Love Her

It was already late into the night, just late enough for a little round of supper. Chizuru had cooked them a round of udon, with vegetables and an egg for good measure, and all of them, even Kondou and Souji, had gathered in the common room to savor her last meal with them.

The meal was supposed to be like any other meal they had in the past, loud, lively and full of laughter, but instead it was silent, filled with sighs and regrets.

"I'm going to miss Chizuru-chan's cooking," Souji lamented after he had finished his bowl of udon. He was sure that he had spoken for all of them there. "You don't know how hard it was having to get back to being used to eating the food cooked by men…"

"Oi, Souji, don't forget that you're the worst cook among us," Heisuke countered, remembering that Souji's vegetables were often too salty and his fish was mysteriously spicy. "I don't think that it's fair for you to say that…"

Souji acted as if he looked hurt. "I'm just trying to keep Chizuru-chan here, Heisuke," he explained matter-of-factly. It was his particular brand of humor, often played at the expense of others, but at least it turned the mood to a slightly lighter note. Even Chizuru had a small smile on her face while he could see that Hijikata was trying his very best to block out whatever he had said.

"Yukimura-kun, you must try to take care of yourself when you're in Kazama's care," Kondou advised Chizuru, knowing that there was nothing else to say to her other than those words. "Don't force yourself too much."

"I'll try, Kondou-san, thank you," Chizuru thanked him.

"Don't worry, Chizuru, we'll all come get you when we're done kicking the Imperial Army's ass," Shinpachi added. As always, he had always been the voice of hope and enthusiasm. Chizuru hoped that with Souji indisposed and Heisuke a Rasetsu, Shinpachi would always remain on the battlefield to keep them in sight of their goals in good temper and humor.

Harada agreed with Shinpachi. "He's right, we'll be knocking on Kazama's door before you know it," he continued, patting the top of her head as he always would. If Hijikata had been the center of the Shinsen-Gumi's power, and Souji as well as Saito their blades, then Harada must have been the center of their strength, the one that provided gravity to all of them. Through her years with them, she knew that Harada had always been their shield and vanguard, the one that protected them from behind while they pushed towards their goals in front. It was Harada that revealed to her that it was only natural that men would fight to protect a woman, not because women were the weaker sex, but because it was their desire to do so, and their responsibility…

Chizuru found no words left to thank them for their words of comfort. It was as though they were sending her off to a cold, dark prison, where she was to be held hostage, but for Chizuru, she would rather the cold dark prison instead of what Kazama had promised her. An endless lifetime away from humanity, away from them… It was a fate that she was not sure that she was willing to embrace yet, but one that she had promised. She knew that Kazama would readily kill them all if she decided to hide behind them, no matter how confident they were of their prowess. He would kill them not out of jealousy but because he had sworn he would do it because an Oni never went against his word.

"Well then, I think I'd better leave you younger ones to talk amongst yourselves," Kondou said, and got Souji to go with him.

"Kondou-san, why must I come with you?" Souji protested.

"You're still down with that horrid, weird flu," Kondou answered. "You'll get better sooner if you tried to sleep earlier."

No more protests came from Souji, and once again, the common room was covered with a blanket of quiet.

"Rest assured that nothing will happen to us, Yukimura," Saito told her, sensing her disquiet. "I will personally make sure of it."

Shinpachi roared in laughter. "That's Saito for you, Chizuru-chan," he said. "See? Nothing to worry about."

"Ne… Chizuru, did that bas- Kazama do anything to you?" Heisuke asked Chizuru, knowing that it was the one question that plagued every one of their minds where her days with the Oni was concerned.

Surprisingly, Chizuru shook her head. "Kazama-san was… surprisingly gentle to me," she answered truthfully. He was more than gentle, in all honesty. Where she once found forcefulness, she found resolve. Where she once felt fear around him, she now found a sense of… homecoming, as if she had finally realized what she was after an eternity of questions. "He also told me what really happened to my family and…"

"So he's not  _that_  much of a bastard we thought he was," Harada concluded. It gave them a certain amount of comfort to know that she was not mistreated at Kazama's hands.

"You must delay the wedding for as long as you can," Hijikata told Chizuru, breaking his long silence. "Sen-hime told us your union would be… irreversible if it was solemnized." His violet eyes looked straight at her, conveying more than just advice. It was a prayer, a hope that she would wait for him, to give him as much time as she could give him.

Chizuru nodded her head. "Don't worry about me, Hijikata-san, I'll know what to do," she reassured him. It was not the first white lie she had told him, and it would certainly not be the last. For him, she would always present at least a hint of the strength that he had inherent within him. For them, she would at least try to act her bravest, because that was what they had given her.

Once again, the common room fell into silence. Sensing the coming of obvious tension, Shinpachi got up and towed Heisuke with him. Between Saito, Souji, Harada and Hijikata, Shinpachi knew that the kid had no chance against them for Chizuru's heart at all. Heisuke was still young, and would not understand the complexities of Chizuru's situation any more than she herself did.

This time, the quiet had no end. They were literally counting down the seconds until dawn, each one of them regarding Chizuru with his own gaze, conveying his own thoughts to her, knowing that somehow, she understood and received them well. It had been evidently clear that Hijikata held a great place in her heart, clear that Chizuru felt the safest with Harada and with Saito, she had the most hope, because she knew that no matter what, he would abide by the path that he had seen himself to, and in Souji, the greatest comfort, because he was willing to do everything to protect what he valued.

"Dawn is coming," Harada sighed, looking out into the night sky from the door that had been left open.

"Indeed," Hijikata nodded. He took Chizuru's hand in his as he rose, openly claiming her as his and said to her, "I'll leave you to Saito and Harada." There was so many more things he wanted to say to her, but he knew that if he did, he would not want her to leave. He knew that it was a risk that would have wasted all of Chizuru's efforts to keep them safe. Without saying another word, he left the common room and retreated to his own quarters. Such a parting was already enough for him. He had already said to her all he wanted to say in the evening.

"Feh, Hijikata-san is always like this," Harada muttered. "I'd like to see the day when he doesn't give us the hardest jobs to do."

"Hijikata-san cares for Yukimura deeply, just as we do," Saito explained. "I would imagine how difficult it is for him." He then turned to Yukimura and placed his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Leave him to us, we will take care of him."

Chizuru could do nothing but nod her head. "Arigatou," she thanked the two of them, knowing that like Hijikata, their ready smiles were merely just masks. At least Hijikata would not waste his efforts in such futile attempts in appearing that he was alright with the current arrangements.

"Baka, we're merely doing what we're supposed to do," Harada told her. "I guess… what I'm trying to say is that… ever since you came here, we weren't the same men we once was. You being here gave us something more than what we were fighting for, you gave us a purpose."

Saito agreed with Harada. "Know that we will fight to our very last to protect you, Yukimura," Saito added. "You are, and always will be one of us, and we will always defend our own."

A gust of wind blew throughout the courtyard, and soon, Kazama appeared before them. "Chizuru, I have fulfilled my end of the bargain, it is time for you to fulfill yours," he said to Chizuru, holding out his hand to her as he had done in the Nishi Hong-an Ji.

Chizuru said nothing and walked towards Kazama. For the second time, Harada watched Chizuru take his hand and disappear into the remaining shadows of dawn. For the second time, he could only pray that Chizuru would be safe in the Oni's hands.

"Sano… have you ever thought what would be the outcome if Chizuru truly chose to remain with Kazama?" Saito asked him once the presence of both Kazama and Chizuru could not be felt. Harada shot a disbelieving look at Saito, clearly aghast at Saito's theory. "We are only mortal, Sano, we will die one day, but she will be forced to bear our memories even after our deaths. Do you want to leave such a fate to her?"

Harada had never thought of that before. All he knew was that human or Oni, he would protect and cherish her no matter what she was. He fell silent, the implications of Saito's words washing over him like a cold wave in winter. "Even if we'd die one day, we'll treasure each day we have with her. It would be enough," he answered, putting all his thoughts on the issue. "If you love a woman, would you love her enough to let her go?"

"I… do not know the answer to that," Saito replied, looking towards the rising sun. "But I wonder what future I can give her if even I myself knows that it ends in blood and war?"

"I guess that choice lies with Chizuru then," Harada sighed. "No matter what we feel for her, we can't make her choose either of us. As long as she's happy, then I'm happy. I think it's just this simple at the end."

Saito smiled. "Then I am of like mind with you," he replied before retiring to his room. It would be another long, long day ahead of them, and they would have to brave it, just like the other long days they have overcome, and may those days lead them to the fruits of their labors.

* * *

"You must not have gotten any sleep," Kazama said to Chizuru once they reached an inn near her old home in Edo. "Rest. We have a long journey ahead of us. We will depart when you're ready to move." He watched her as silently got about preparing herself for bed, as if the great fire in her soul had been extinguished. He had already anticipated that she would act like this, it would be worse when they burn out in the coming days of war if they dared to look past their defeat and continue fighting against what is now known as the Imperial Army.

She was crying silently, and he knew that there was nothing that he could do about it. He had pursued her to preserve the bloodlines of their people. He had brought her to his side for the sole reason, and was willing to do anything and everything to ensure that his plans came to fruition. Their emotions did not matter. He knew that his interest towards the girl had grown exponentially since their first meeting, but why… why did it make him feel a little bit sad, and a tiny bit guilty, to see such grief from her? Was he not doing her a service by severing her ties with the Shinsen-Gumi earlier, so that she would not have to go through even more pain and anguish?

He decided to throw caution to the wind and allowed himself this one moment of weakness, to put himself in her place. He laid a hand on hers as she tried to sleep, a gesture that shocked her so much that she looked up at him in surprise. "Kazama-san?" she asked as he proceeding to wipe her tears off with his thumb.

"If you truly wish to be my wife in the future, you will let go of the burdens you carry in your heart this instant," he told her, his tone strict but his voice tender, once again reminding her how similar in temperament he was with Hijikata. "Tell me everything that happened yesterday."

It took Chizuru a while to realize that he had meant no harm in saying what he did. She rose from the futon and said, "Hijikata-san told me he loved me…"

"And you love him in return, do you not?" Kazama asked. He had known such a fact from the very beginning. No man would ever risk his life for a woman like how Hijikata had done that night when he attacked the Shinsen-Gumi headquarters. He also knew that Hijikata was not the only one vying for her attentions. There were others as well, mostly the captains of the Shinsen-Gumi's various divisions. They loved her in their own way, but where the peasant samurai were concerned, Hijikata was the clear victor, and as he had observed earlier, his true rival where she was concerned.

"I… I do…" she murmured. It had not felt right for her to tell him this. But instead of showing anger and rage, Kazama only sighed, commenting once again about the weakness of humans. "It wasn't his fault! I chose to come here…"

"Yet if you have already made your mind, you can never turn back," Kazama told her. He was not being unkind. He was telling her the truth of her situation, because the fact of the matter was that she had volunteered to go with him, not through him forcing her to do so. "The moment you agreed to one day be my wife, you have already taken the first crucial steps towards sealing the future for our kind. You will have to bear the responsibilities of being both the remaining heir of the Yukimura clan and the mistress of the Kazama clan, and to do so, you must sever every single tie you have with the humans."

"Kazama-san, I'll need some time," she pleaded him. "I can't… just leave my past with them like this…" It was desperation that drove her to those words, but he realized that if he granted her request, she would have gained a great boon. The question was, did she even know what it was?

"Very well then, we shall delay our wedding by one year," Kazama announced, much to her surprise. "However, you must come with me to my lands no matter what. I cannot delay my duties to ensure my clan's safety any longer. We move at first light tomorrow." He knew that she needed time on two fronts: it was either so that she could learn to put the men of the Shinsen-Gumi into her past where they belonged, or to buy them time so that she could perhaps forged a different path than the one currently before her. He did not mind, because time was all he had to offer her.

Thus, the bet was placed between them. A game that had been set, a game where Yukimura Chizuru had bet the futures of her kind with that of her own. In a year, she would have to decide whether she wanted to continue being a bird hiding in a gilded cage formed by the men who claimed to love her, or a free spirit befitting her birthright.


	10. The Sins of the Father

It was time to leave Edo. Time for Chizuru to finally embrace her destiny as the last remaining daughter of the Yukimura clan. Knowing that there was little more that she could do, she followed Kazama as they made their way towards Edo Bay, where a ship would be waiting for them to bring them back to the western regions of Japan.

"My people are based in the lands of the Satsuma-han," Kazama explained to Chizuru, "There, the lands are fertile due to the volcanoes, and sufficient water. We are blessed to have enough land and water to plant our own rice, tea and even cultivate our own silk. It took us many centuries to gain enough gold to buy land from the daimyo of Satsuma, and now, we have a village to ourselves near the coastline, away from the prying eyes of the humans, with our backs against the sea…"

As he said those words, he took Chizuru's hand in his, and at that instant, she realized that the scene before them was not the hustle and bustle of Edo city, but the Kazama village, so large that it could have been a town, nestled in a valley between two volcanic peaks. The surrounding areas of the village were areas where agriculture flourished, and the lands around them were sealed with powerful Oni magic that would conceal the location of the village from human eyes. In the image that Kazama had formed for her, she saw the ancestral hall of the Kazama family, filled with tablets of the long-passed, where a great katana was displayed. She saw a group of elders, all still beautiful and foreboding figures, playing chess, reading and talking amongst themselves, and outside the ancestral hall, a little school for the Oni-children, where some were even dozing off as their teacher droned on and on about their lessons…

When he released her hand, the images ceased. "How did you do that?" Chizuru asked him.

"Different Oni clans have different powers besides the usual healing and agelessness," Kazama elaborated. "My clan's is one of illusion and defense, while yours lied in the art of medicine and regeneration. While our people reach physical maturity at the same pace as humans, our powers develop on a slower level. Hence, the older the Oni, the more powerful he or she is. However, due to various reasons, it is rare for an Oni to live for over thousands of years. We can be killed, after all."

"Then… may I ask how old are you, Kazama-san?" Chizuru asked out of curiosity. She knew that Kazama was no ordinary Oni, because even she could sense that he held more power than Amagiri or Shiranui. Being the clan-leader of his clan further cemented that fact as well.

"I will be eighty come winter," Kazama replied simply. "Does it even matter?"

Chizuru blushed slightly. "No, but I…"

"Have you become curious about me, Chizuru?" he asked her in his sly, teasing tone. The way he placed his face so near her, it had been no different when he had met her at the Sumiya when she was disguised as a geisha… "Would you want to know more about your future husband?"

Chizuru had become so flustered that she turned away from him. "That is not my meaning!" she exclaimed. Her cheeks were red, and it was not due to the winter's cold.

"Suit yourself," Kazama returned, and continued walking, Chizuru following him mere seconds later. They were walking side by side, but her eyes were cast to the ground, clearly taking his wanton teasing to mind, while he held his head up high as always, confident and powerful.

A middle-aged lady and her older husband passed them and regarded them for a good while. "Look, anata, what an adorable young couple!" she commented.

Much to Kazama's chagrin, the husband agreed with the lady. "They're just like us when we were younger!"

This made Chizuru even more embarrassed, and held her head even lower than before. It was not before long when they were joined by Amagiri, who delivered quite the surprising report.

"I have caught sight of Yukimura Koudou," Amagiri told them.

Chizuru's eyes widened at the news. Her father was there in Edo? Unable to believe what she had just heard, she bolted towards the direction they had come from, towards the place where she once called home. She had been searching for her father for nigh three years, and she refused to let the chance to see him again slip past her fingers.

"Chizuru!" Kazama called after her, but he was unheeded. She was already too far gone.

"Shall we pursue her?" Amagiri asked, a question that actually needed no answers. Kazama had already quickened his pace as he traced her footsteps, making his way towards the Yukimura residence behind her. Whoever knew that the girl carried so much speed in her little body?

* * *

Not fifteen minutes later, Chizuru arrived at the entrance of her home. The door was ajar, and as she popped her head in to see who was there, she found him. There, standing before her, alive and well, was Yukimura Koudou, her father. "Otou-sama!" she called in utter happiness, for her search for him had finally ended.

"Chizuru, it is good to see you!" Koudou replied. For a second, those words made her heart sink a little. She… had not seen her father in three years, and this was the greeting that he gave her? It was nothing short of warmth, but… still, too curt to be given to the girl that he had raised single-handedly. He had raised her to be a well-mannered, polite woman but his greeting was a little too distant for her liking. "I am glad that you are safe!" His smile broadened, and his eyes started to twinkle, a mannerism that she knew was truly his and his alone. From then on, she was completely sure that the man standing in front of her was a father.

"Otou-sama, what are you doing here back in Edo?" she asked him without wasting any more time. "I've been looking for you in Kyoto for years!"

She had set out for Kyoto immediately following the cessations of the letters that he wrote home, and fate had brought her to the Shinsen-Gumi. She could not find her meeting her father to be more ironic that this…

Koudou frowned slightly as he delivered a sigh. "To tell you the truth, I had been working for the Sat-Chou Alliance since I left the Shinsen-Gumi's services," he told her, a hint of disappointment lacing his voice. "I am still continuing my research on the Rasetsu under their wing."

No… it was impossible. Even if he had been forced to work for the Sat-Chou Alliance, he would have been released from service already, like Kazama. Satusma and Choushu had already proven themselves the victors in the war against the Bakufu, and despite the Bakufu's efforts to reassert its authority over the newly formed government, it was clear that power had already been transferred to they who were first known as rebels…

"What kind of research?" Chizuru asked, her voice already shaking. She had her own fair share of dealing with the Rasetsu, and knew that their creation was wrong on so many different viewpoints. The need to experiment on human subjects was enough for the Shinsen-Gumi to call off any further experimentation of the Rasetsu, augmented by the fact that Rasetsu require the intake of blood to survive, and would go insane if they did not have it… They were also an unpractical weapon in war – they could only be deployed during the night because sunlight weakened them – All in all, the Rasetsu were damned creatures that should not have existed, and Chizuru had hoped that her father would cease in his efforts to create more of them. It seemed at that time that her hope was to bear no fruit. "Otou-sama, the Sat-Chou Alliance already has victory…"

"Yes, but Edo Castle still has not surrendered!" Koudou rationalized. Edo Castle had been the last stronghold of the Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, and it was still a great fortification of the supporters of the Bakufu. It was the very reason why the Shinsen-Gumi had chosen to return to Edo in the first place. "My job now is to use my army of Rasetsu to set fire to this very city!"

She had been mistaken. This man… he was not her father. Her father was kind and gentle, and the man standing before her was nothing short of a war-mongering monster. She took a step back, and realized that Koudou had changed in his likeness. His eyes had turned amber, and two ivory horns protruded in his brow. Was this the true face of an Oni?

"You cannot imagine the power of the Ochimizu!" Koudou continued, oblivious to her shock and anguish. "Would you not join me, Chizuru?" His hand was outstretched, ready to take her hand in his.

Chizuru refused. Out of desperation, she beat her father's hand away from hers and retreated backwards, only to feel a strong grasp stabilizing her as she moved. It was Kazama, and judging by his cold gaze, he was not happy to see Koudou at all.

"What is the meaning of this, Koudou?" he asked Koudou, making it instantly clear that he had heard everything that Koudou had told Chizuru.

Koudou paused. Taking a big gulp and trying to avoid the intense, accusing ruby eyes that Kazama possessed, he asked, "Kazama-sama, what brings you here?"

Kazama was not in the mood for any form of pleasantry. "Answer my question. You were ordered to stop all research on the Rasetsu. Why have you not done so?" There was no answer, but it seemed like Kazama already knew it without needing Koudou to tell him anything. "Let me guess, you used them as a bargaining chip to secure a position with the Imperial Army, did you not?"

Knowing that he would not be able to defeat Kazama in the exchange of physical blows or words, Koudou did the only obvious thing. He bolted through the door, pushing Chizuru towards Kazama to hinder him. Kazama had caught Chizuru in time, but it was enough time for Koudou to seal his escape.

"There is a large group of Rasetsu gathering around the city," Amagiri reported after meeting up with them. "It seems like Koudou intends to send half of them to Koufu Castle, where the Shinsen-Gumi are headed and the other half to burn down Edo city."

Chizuru was shocked beyond belief. "Otou-sama… Otou-sama would not do this…" she murmured almost silently, but it had been clear enough for Kazama to hear.

"Chizuru, he is not your real father," Kazama told her. He had seen the head of the Yukimura clan before, a tall, imposing figure with power and strength enough to equal any one of the Kazama clan's elders. That man had the same soft brown eyes as Chizuru (and by extension, Kaoru) possessed. That man was an Oni that stood to his principles of non-violence even to his last breath, although his clan and their lands were burnt to ashes. "He is from a branch of the Yukimura clan, with Oni blood thin enough that he's practically human."

"No… it couldn't be…" Chizuru argued. "Otou-sama had always loved me…"

Kazama was not in the mood to argue with her. "You can choose whether to believe it or not, but it is the hard truth," he told her coldly. "Your father passed with the rest of your clan. No matter how much he loved you in the past, Yukimura Koudou has gone down a path punishable by death. It is my duty to kill him."

Hoping that Amagiri would be the voice of reason, Chizuru looked towards Amagiri for support. "Yukimura, forgive me, that Kazama is right regarding this matter," Amagiri apologized. "Yukimura Koudou cannot be forgiven."

"If we find him again, please, let me speak to him first," she begged Kazama, staring him down, which she had learnt had been the best method to make her point clear to him. "I'll try to get him to reconsider…"

"Fine, do as you will," Kazama indulged her, knowing that the outcome would be just the same. "You have only once chance. If you fail, your father dies."

* * *

It took them nearly a month to discover the location of Koudou and his Rasetsu army, even with the aid of Sen-hime's spies and Kazama and Amagiri's acquaintances in the Satsuma-han scattered around Edo. By that time, the Shinsen-Gumi had already left Edo for Koufu Castle, a stronghold of the Bakufu that must be upheld. If Koufu had fallen, then Edo was open to the Sat-Chou Alliance for the taking. Koudou was sure to aim to burn the city when it was the least defended…

They decided to infiltrate Koudou's hiding place in the dead of the night, and when Chizuru found him, he only regarded her and shook his head. "Chizuru…" he regarded her.

"Otou-sama, please, stop this!" she pleaded. "Edo can be taken by other means… Burning it down will only cause the loss of more innocent lives!" She had witness what a fire in the heart of a city could cause. When the Shinsen-Gumi had their backs turned during the Kinmon no Hen, the Sat-Chou Alliance had set fire to Kyoto city. Hundreds of homes were destroyed while thousands of lives were lost. It was a sight that she swore never to see again.

"I am doing this for the good of our clan!" Koudou rebuked. "I am sure that Kazama-sama had told you what has become of the Yukimura clan… I will wreak vengeance upon the world of humans for destroying what was ours!" In his crazed moment he focused all his attention on her. "You… Chizuru, you have the full blood of our clan running in your veins… would you not join me?"

Chizuru's heart broke upon hearing those words. She had never expected Koudou to say such cruel things, completely ignoring the days that they had spent during her childhood. But through all the pain, she realized that it was just an elaborate part of Koudou's grand design. She had been raised by him, merely because she had the pure blood of the Yukimura clan…

"That is enough," Kazama proclaimed, revealing himself from his hiding place in the shadows. What he has said was meant more for Chizuru than it had been for Koudou. He had judged her attempt to stop him and he found it wanting.

"Kazama-sama, were you not under the employ of the Satsuma-han?" Koudou asked Kazama, clearly defying Kazama with the illusion of calm and control. "Have you not shed blood for the humans in their wars? Are my actions any different from yours?"

"I served the Satsuma-han to repay their protection of my people," Kazama spat, tired of having to explain himself time and again. "They hid and protected my people when the Bakufu wanted to destroy us. I have only settled that debt, nothing more." His hair was now white, his eyes amber. Chizuru then understood that all Oni looked like that when they wished to the true extent of their powers. There seemed to be a variation though… Koudou had two horns, while Kazama had four. Kazama continued to speak, "Your actions do not befit the blood of the Yukimura clan, no matter how thin it is in your veins. You are nothing more than a beast, giving into the false power of the Ochimizu, bowing and scraping to the humans for the promise of power. Where is your pride as an Oni?" He unsheathed his katana and aimed it towards Koudou. "For those crimes, you will die."

Koudou did not move this time, unlike their previous meeting. "Even you have your limits, Kazama-sama," he threatened. "You might be able to kill me, but can you survive fighting against an entire army of Rasetsu?" He snapped his fingers, as though he expected something to happen, but nothing did.

"I wonder where your false abominations have gone," Kazama taunted. As he spoke, Amagiri appeared in the room. His hands were bloodied, and he too, wore his Oni visage.

"The false Oni have all been destroyed," Amagiri said, calm as he always was, and pointed towards Koudou. "You are the only one remaining." It had been their plan all along, for Amagiri to destroy the Rasetsu that Koudou had kept with him while Chizuru and Kazama faced Koudou. It seemed that the act was not a challenge at all for Amagiri, despite the fact that Rasetsu were generally stronger than humans. It once again cemented to Chizuru the extent of the power of the Oni as a race.

Kazama said nothing, and only looked towards Chizuru, conveying to her that he was ready to strike Kondou down. Chizuru… could not find it in her to allow Kazama to just kill the man she had regarded as her father so wantonly, no matter how severe his crimes had been. "Please… wait!" she shouted, moving between Koudou and Kazama. "He is my responsibility. As the sole survivor and head of the Yukimura clan, I will take the responsibilities of his actions!"

"It is a noble gesture, my future wife, but I cannot do as you say," Kazama replied sternly. He gently moved her aside, and continued to attack Koudou. Knowing that there was no escape for him, Koudou did the only thing he could: he himself summoned whatever powers he had in him and charged against Kazama.

He met his end in one single stroke of Kazama's katana, cutting him from the left side of his neck, to the right side of his waist. Blood splattered all across the floor, and as Koudou fell onto the floor a dead man, his corpse started to crumble, and turned into white ash.

Kazama caught Chizuru in his arms and held her tight against him as she started to collapse in the grief of losing her father, even if they had not been related by blood. "What happened?" she asked him, "He had been so kind…"

"He was corrupted by the humans," Kazama sighed, tucking her head underneath his chin. "The humans have always sought to use our people in their wars for power and wealth. Those that opposed them were destroyed… he must have been driven to madness at the thought of vengeance, even siding with the very forces that burned down your clan just to have it. The humans know this, and used him nonetheless." By blaming the humans, he had sought to comfort her, by augmenting the sad truth of Koudou's deviation from the path and pride of the Oni, and his subsequent execution just moments ago, to be blamed by the humans.

Chizuru understood him, but she still could not stop her tears. Kazama held her even tighter, and she basked in his presence, even as the ashes of her father's spent body were blown into the wind from the nearby window. Silently, he held her until her tears had dried, until she had been too tired to continue crying. She did not know how long she remained there in his arms, but she knew that when her eyes had become too dry to open, and her voice had become hoarse, he picked her up in his arms and exited the infernal manor.

"Sleep," he whispered into her ear. "Nothing will harm you now."


	11. The Mystery

Following the passing of Yukimura Koudou, little words were exchanged between Chizuru and Kazama, even as they boarded the ship that would bring them back to Kazama's lands. She had been too shaken by grief, and too shocked to realize that most of her life before her arrival in Kyoto had been a lie.

Three days passed between them in utter silence. Without the presence of the Rasetsu, the Shinsen-Gumi had successfully held Koufu Castle against the Imperial Army, and awaited further orders from the Bakufu. It was a triumph that had lightened Chizuru's heart a little but after the news served its purpose, she became quiet and mournful again.

She looked towards the great oceans and sighed. Although she had lived in Edo and often passed Edo Bay, she had never been on a ship before. To feel the sea-breeze against her cheeks, to see the seagulls flying beside the ship as it coursed through the crests of the waves…

"The sea often brings an unusual calm to the spirit," Kazama told her as he stood beside her, breaking the long silence between them. "It is wide, constant, and of course, beautiful, but at the same time, when her mood changes, she becomes vengeful and consumes all that dares to go against her wrath."

Chizuru looked at Kazama. "Kazama-san, you think that the sea is a woman?"

"She holds life in the embrace of her womb, does she not?" Kazama asked her, revealing a side of him that was unknown to her. But then again… he had always been displaying such rhetorical thoughts whenever he commented on humans as a species… "I grew up by the sea, and even though one can become familiar to its beauty and destructive capabilities… one cannot always fathom what is going to happen whenever we take a gamble and enter her domain."

Once again, Kazama looked upon Chizuru as she fell into a second, dark silence. It was at this point of time when he realized that like a fish being hauled from the sea, Chizuru felt lonely and devoid of warmth. They still had three days before they arrived at his lands, and he knew that things could only be harder for her. His people were lovely souls, no doubt, but Chizuru did not have to face them. She would have to face the elders of his clan, and the rest of his family, who were highly discriminating when it came to everything. Everyone, and everything, including him, could not escape their prying eyes and ears.

"You cannot hide in your own thoughts forever, Chizuru," he told her, putting an arm around her shoulder. Then, in a soft voice, he added, "not all tears are evil. We are alone here, you can cry if it makes you feel better." Blinking her eyes as she regarded him, she did not understand how he had been able to feel what she did. Her reaction only made him hold her tighter. "Since you are to be my wife, I might as well tell you the truth. My mother had died in childbirth giving birth to me, and my father… had passed on owing to a power struggle in my clan."

It was the greatest scandal of the Kazama clan that his uncle, the second born son, wished to usurp the position that his father had carried as the natural heir of the clan. His father had staked his life to protect his position as the clan leader, but could not bring himself to kill his own brother. Unwilling to defend himself, he allowed his brother to cut him down, and in a fit of rage, Kazama himself took his uncle's life, assuming his father's position with undoubted authority. Kazama would never forget that day he had been forced to take the life of his own kin, but it was only then that he realized that he would do whatever that was necessary to defend his family. That was why he needed a strong heir, to force all from outside and within the Kazama clan to realize that his position was unshakable, that he would be the one to lead them to a time of peace following the terrors of war that they had always sought to flee from.

Chizuru realized now more than ever that it was in his best interests to have her as his wife. "So… that's why you want me as your wife?" she asked him, "to secure your position in your family?"

"Yes, but that is only one of the goals marrying you would give me," Kazama explained. Gently, he caressed her cheek and continued, "It is true that any child we will have will have powers even greater than ours, but, I have also taken a great interest into you, for reasons that I cannot imagine."

"What do you mean?" Chizuru asked him, feeling her cheeks redden all of a sudden.

"You are a fool who has no concept of fear," he answered her. "Even when you were a child, you played boisterously around the clan elders of both our clans, in the most solemn of ceremonies… I remember you shielding Okita Souji with your own body the first time we met, knowing that you could not even dream to be able to win if we were to cross swords. It made me wonder, what kind of circumstances you have met that instilled such a quality in you?"

Now, the silence that Chizuru had gotten into was one of surprise, one of wordlessness because she did not know what to say. Although her days with Kazama had grown longer, and she knew that he was not the arrogant, oppressive villain that the Shinsen-Gumi had deemed he was, those words that he said, although they had been just observations, they made her heart beat faster. No one… had ever said what he said to her before. Not even Hijikata.

Looking at her reaction, he grinned widely. "Have I surprised you?" he asked her, allowing her to leave his hold on her.

She knew that there was no way of hiding it. "Yes," she answered in a small voice. Kazama's personality remained as it was, overconfident and always intruding… She thought that she had gotten used to it, but still, he managed to ruffle more than a few feathers on her part.

"At least I've got you away from your gloomy mood," he told her, crossing his arms as he wondered if he should continue to tease her. Soon, his tone regained its seriousness. "Chizuru, do not let grief define you. Despair will not kill us, but it will make our lives less worth living."

Chizuru was now confused. How can a man like Kazama say such kind and gentle words? This had not been the first time since he had comforted her so, and each time he did, she felt more and more afraid, afraid that perhaps one day, that there would be a possibility that… her heart might falter.

No… she cannot falter. She had one year to think this over, and it was time bought for Hijikata and the others. She would stay with Kazama during that time, because it was her promise, and she would do no more than that.

* * *

With Koufu Castle's defenses standing ever since the Shinsen-Gumi arrived, the Sat-Chou Alliance was shown a side of the Bakufu that still had strength, and spirit enough to fight. They were bolstered by the forces of Ootori Keisuke, an agent of the Bakufu specializing in Western warfare. The man was completely different from any Bakufu leader that the Shinsen-Gumi had known, always ready to listen to the insights of others, and willing to seek advice from his subordinates. Most of all, this man had valued the battle-experience and readiness to fight of the Shinsen-Gumi, most of all Hijikata.

"The Imperial Army is getting restless, it seems," Ootori said during one of the numerous military meetings held in the inner sanctums of the castle, this time, it was held in Hijikata's office. Kondou would have been there, but he had opted out of this particular one because the men had asked him to drink with them. It was an offer he could not refuse in order to boost the men's morale on one front, and an excuse to take a break from work as another. "Strange as it sounds, there was mention of a second auxiliary corps approaching us during the first wave of the attack, but nothing came."

Hijikata frowned. "But we thinned them out, didn't we?" he asked Ootori, knocking down the little flag-pieces on the map that depicted the presence of the Imperial Army in that area.

"Yes, but with Katsura Kogoro leading the Imperial Army, I didn't think that we would have defeated them that quickly," Ootori elaborated. Katsura Kogoro… that name was well-known. It belonged to the leader of the Choushu-han. A beautiful man with the sharpest minds, he soon realized the farce that was the jōi (expel the foreigners) notions of the Imperialists and ensured that the Choushu armies was backed with the best of Western weapons. It was his insight to use technology and superior military training against the soldiers of the Bakufu that won the Battle of Toba-Fushimi for the Sat-Chou Alliance.

While it was true that Ootori, with all his Western training, only knew what resided in military textbooks, his suspicions had already been growing deep in Hijikata's mind. With the high morale of the Imperial Army and their superior weapons, there was no way that they could even be defeated. They had witnessed that in Toba-Fushimi.

"Something happened to the Imperial Army," Hijikata said, hazarding a guess. "A late shipment of guns, perhaps?"

Ootari shook his head. "Our spies sent out inventory sheets that suggested that they were armed to the teeth with… strangely, a portion of them were equipped with silver bullets, I might add."

It was then when Hijikata's eyes widened. Silver bullets… Rasetsu were weak towards silver, because it impeded on their accelerated healing abilities. The Shinsen-Gumi's Rasetsu Corps were defeated in Osaka Castle for the very reason, and he realized that this pattern was repeating…

"Forgive my intrusion," a voice came from the door. It was Yamazaki, dressed in the black garb of the Shinsen-Gumi's inspectors. "Hijikata-san, Ootori-san, I have received information that a massacre had occurred in Edo not three days ago. It was in the manor where the Imperial Army's auxiliary forces were housed."

He passed few photographs, captured by one of Ootori's men to Hijikata, and it depicted a rich man's manor standing perfectly, only… with mounds of what seemed like sand all over the place. The structure of the building was completely untouched, and being a massacre, there was no blood spilled, and no corpse to be seen.

"There were witnesses that reported that they had heard men screaming their death throes coming from that manor, but when they went in to check, they found nothing, only ashes," Yamazaki continued.

"Clearly, this won't be the work of ghosts and devils," Ootori sighed, displaying his eccentric, whimsical side. "Ashes… you say, Yamazaki-kun, but… there was no fire?"

"None whatsoever," Yamazaki answered. Out of the line of sight of Ootori, he maintained eye contact with Hijikata, who nodded ever so slightly, confirming his suspicions. In the nights where they had been recovering in Edo, they had witnessed one of their Rasetsu combusting suddenly, being reduced to nothing but ash, like the mounds in the photographs. This meant that it was true that Yukimura Koudou had gone over to the side of the Sat-Chou Alliance, and it meant that he had massive numbers of Rasetsu with him…

Ootori scratched his chin and put the photographs on the table. "Hijikata-kun, I had heard rumors that the Shinsen-Gumi was given the charge to… experiment on a foreign substance that could increase the combat capabilities of humans, but you stopped them before the war broke out…"

Hijikata had no choice but to reveal all to Ootari, seeing that he was in fact his superior, and that he was also an ally. "Yes, it's true," he answered with a sigh. "Those who drank the substance, what we call the 'Ochimizu', are able to have their wounds healed in the manner of seconds. They could have been indestructible if not for several… weaknesses."

"And they are?"

"They cannot move under the sun, and… they die if you cut their vital organs," Hijikata explained, leaning against the table and crossing his arms. "What's more: the Ochimizu merely borrows the lifespan that is inherent in its user to give them those great powers. When all is used up, they turn to white ash."

Ootori paused, and took a second look at the photographs, beads of sweat apparent on his brow. "With ash on this magnitude in this compound… who could have destroyed them on such a scale?" he asked further.

"We can name a few," Hijikata spat, scowling at the memory of the Oni. "But it's useless, you won't find them anywhere, they've taken into hiding after the Battle of Toba-Fushimi has won."

"So, our conclusion is that some mysterious benefactor has decided to step in for us and destroy these… superhuman auxiliaries when our backs were turned?" Ootori demanded, effectively rounding off their current situation. "What do they have to gain from this? Why give such a boon to the Bakufu and then disappear into nothingness?"

Hijikata just shrugged. "Well, now we know why we won, we'd better make sure that we win again," he said bluntly. "Yamazaki, escort Ootori-san to his quarters. It's been a long day."

Ootori smiled. "Hijikata-san, you must get your rest too, you know?" he replied. "You need a little a little wife to take care of you and nag you when you work too much, instead of a bunch of men rolling in blood or alcohol…"

"Ootori-san, this way, please," Yamazaki broke in, effectively easing the situation for the both of them. Ootori thanked Yamazaki for the gesture and went on his merry way. Yamazaki closed the door without even looking back, giving Hijikata a few moments to be alone with his thoughts.

A little wife… Ootori had no idea that he had a woman just like how he had described, and Hijikata had been the greatest fool not to appreciate her presence and had to watch her leave to protect him… to protect they who called one another brothers in arms. She had been watching over him for years and he only told her that he loved her just when she was about to be spirited into unknown lands to one day be the wife of another…

Sighing, Hijikata looked towards the door as Yamazaki reentered the room. "That was a close one…" he commented with a bitter smile towards Yamazaki.

"Ootori-san has a strong mind, he would have found out sooner or later," Yamazaki offered. It was a suggestion that Hijikata agreed with. "Fukuchou… I don't understand… the only people who can destroy the Rasetsu so easily are the Oni… but why would they do this?"

"I don't know," Hijikata answered. "Somehow, I feel like I don't want to know the answer to this question… Round the others up, Yamazaki. They would want to know about this."

Yamazaki gave Hijikata a quick bow and went ahead with his instructions. In half an hour, everyone of note in the Shinsen-Gumi was gathered before Hijikata, thankfully still sober and in high spirits. Usually, Hijikata, was strict as he was with them, would have waited than to give them such news, but he knew that now was not the time. He showed them the photographs that Yamazaki had obtained and allowed them a quiet moment of thought.

"This… this is impossible," Sannan said. He himself was a Rasetsu, having consumed the Ochimizu when the pain of his wounded arm had reached his soul, because he was rendered incapable of combat due to an injury. "Such destruction on such a scale…"

"It could only be done by the Oni," Kondou finished for Sannan. "Does Ootori-san know this?"

"He has to," Hijikata answered. "It was his man that took these photographs… My guess is… that bastard Kazama was right. Yukimura Koudou really did betray us and switched sides to the Sat-Chou Alliance."

Heisuke was in utter disbelief. "What? He can't have just killed them all by himself!"

"But why take them all out?" Shinpachi asked, adding to Heisuke's reaction. "It doesn't make sense, if the Imperial Army has the Rasetsu… they'll be unstoppable."

"Wait… didn't Chizuru-chan say something about Kazama and his cronies fulfilling their debt to the Sat-Chou Alliance once they won the Battle of Toba-Fushimi?" Souji suggested.

"But why?" Hijikata asked them all. "If they no longer have any business with the Sat-Chou Alliance, why kill all the Rasetsu? Why bother angering your own allies?"

Silence spread among them, silence that refused to go away until they reached a sound conclusion to this… mystery.

"Perhaps the Oni are doing it for their own reasons," Saito said.

Harada seemed to agree with Saito. "Remember when Kazama came for Chizuru at the Nishi Hongan-ji? They killed several of our Rasetsu once they knew what they were…"

"Kazama called us fakes and false Oni of all things," Sannan recalled. "Perhaps there was something in their Oni pride that they could not tolerate reproductions of their capabilities?" No one knew whether Sannan had said those words in jest or in truth. Chills ran down their spines as they heard him, even Kondou and Hijikata.

"Well, it can't be helped then, this will still remain a mystery to us until the answers decide to reveal themselves," Kondou concluded. "Now, get a move on to bed, all of you. There's plenty of fight to go around in the morning."

The rest of them obeyed and left the room. "Kondou-san, you need to rest too," Hijikata told Kondou off. "You're no use to use half-alive from all that sake." Only the Gods knew what sake did to Kondou, and it was not pretty at all.

"What about you, Toshi, you still hole yourself up with work," Kondou rebutted. "Toshi… I know that you're not feeling your best since Yukimura-kun left, but you'll really work yourself to death if you continue on like this. How would you find the energy to get her back then?"

Kondou was no fool. He had the eyes to see that Chizuru's presence in the Shinsen-Gumi was a profound one. She had touched each of their hearts in her own unique way, being the only member of the Shinsen-Gumi that could not fight, but could do almost everything else imaginable. He knew that Hijikata had fallen head over heels for the girl even before that he realized it, but decided not to say anything, thinking that Hijikata would have at least made the effort to seek his own happiness. Her leaving with Kazama was a bitter pill for Hijikata to swallow, but it was a challenge that he would have to face on his own.

"It can't be helped then," Hijikata sighed. "Alright, Kondou-san, I'll take a quick nap and then it's back to work for me."

"You know, I really should ask Sannan-kun to drug you one day so you can catch up on your sleep…"

"Kondou-san!"

"Right, right, I'm leaving… Good night, Toshi."


	12. The Second Battle of Koshu-Katsunuma

With the main forces of the Imperial Army finally arrived at Koufu Castle, Hijikata saw for the first time in his life, the likeness of the now-infamous Katsura Kogoro. He was a man of tall stature, leanly built, his hair and eyes was the color of turquoise reminiscent of the clear water of the shallows of the sea. But with all his apparent beauty, Katsura Kogoro was more famous as a radical, a scholar of the sword and of the written word.

Despite the fact that he had once tried to bolster his forces with Rasetsu, Katsura remained confident that he was able to beat down his opponents, the broken remnants of the Bakufu who stubbornly clung onto old ideals of power. He had fought to end the decay of the Bakufu, and this was where his venture led him, looking up against the last remaining symbols of the Bakufu's power, defended by the Shinsen-Gumi, who had once hunted his faction like diseased dogs across the street.

From the battlements of the castle, Katsura could see a line of figures approaching, carrying a red standard bearing the word, "誠" (pronounced as "makoto", it means truth or honesty in both Japanese and Mandarin). Ah, so the Shinsen-Gumi had come to greet him. At the center of that meagre formation, dressed in foreboding black and royal purples… that man was most likely Hijikata Toshizou, the Fukuchou of the Shinsen-Gumi, who had earned renown for doing everything possible to keep his organization afloat in their turbulent times.

"Katsura-san, what do we do now?" one of his subordinates asked him.

"We wait," Katsura said simply. "They will most likely send their representatives to offer terms and we will do the same. It would be better that we won this thing without even fighting." Katsura knew that they were equal in number, and with news that the Bakufu's forces now armed with French weapons, their ranks filed with French officers to make up for the lack in training… He could not help but to admit that the playing field was now even.

* * *

"Wait… that pretty boy is Katsura Kogoro?" Shinpachi asked in utter disbelief, looking towards the ranks of the Imperial Army, pointing towards the man with turquoise hair.

Souji chuckled at Shinpachi's comment. "He's even prettier than Hijikatan-san, come to think of it," he added.

Hijikata retaliated in the only way he knew how, not for Souji's comment, but for his presence. "You will go back to bed, Souji," Hijikata barked. "This is no place for people down with weird flus."

"And miss all this action?" Souji countered. "Sorry, Hijikata-san, but I've played the patient for far too long, besides, those Western doctors Ootori-san brought with him did wonders to me.'

Still, it did not stop Hijikata from grabbing Souji by the collar, and passing him to Shimada wordlessly to be escorted back into his quarters. He was not to be defied, especially not during crucial moments like this. The rest of the Shinsen-Gumi stiffened and prepared themselves for the coming battle.

"Fukuchou, it seems that our numbers are equal," Saito told Hijikata after a rough count of the men that rallied behind Katsura Kogoro.

"Yes, and let's hope that these French officers are as good as Ootori-san says they are," Hijikata prayed, looking at the ranks behind them. Despite being the smallest faction in this united force of the Bakufu, the Shinsen-Gumi acted as their spearhead, being the first among equals, so to speak, due to their experience in handling the forces of the Imperialists. It was an experience that they never had before, having to work with others, but thankfully, they welcomed it greatly.

"So what are we waiting for?" Harada asked. Already, he was itching for a fight, after days of anticipation, waiting for a retaliation from the Imperial Army ever since they took Koufu Castle.

It was Kondou that answered him. "We are waiting for a diplomatic solution," he told them. "Katsura Kogoro is not like the other leaders of the Imperial Army. He would willingly settle a conflict without bloodshed."

"What terms do we have to offer them?" Hijikata asked, unable to wrap his head around the idea of diplomacy, not because he did not want to prevent any unnecessary loss of life, but because he knew that there was nothing that the Bakufu had to offer to the Imperial Army apart from their hides.

"The same ones that they only have to offer," Ootori said, coming up to the battlements after Kondou. "Their own lives."

"Then there would be no need for diplomacy at all," Hijikata argued.

"They are without their edge now, Hijikata-kun," Ootori continued. "Whether it be those monsters or their weapons o Western-trained soldiers. This is no longer Toba-Fushimi."

"That is still to be seen," Hijikata countered. After a brief moment's pause, he decided that there was no harm in waiting to start the coming battle at a later time. "Alright… we'll do it your way, for now." At the corner of his eye, he could see Shinpachi and Harada subtly reacting to the change in consensus, and held his hand up, silencing them before they could say anything. Understanding the gesture as an order, the two of them remained quiet.

Kondou put a hand to Hijikata's shoulder and asked, "Toshi, would you come down with us to listen to what Katsura has to say?" For months and years, they have fought the actions and decisions of the leader of the Choushu forces, but never once met him.

"Suit yourself," Hijikata grumbled, and followed Kondou and Ootori to the gates of the castle. Before leaving, he entrusted Saito, Shinpachi and Harada to the defenses of the castle in case the negotiations soured.

"Don't worry, this place will only fall if we decided to tear it down," Harada reassured him, a half-joke which only made Hijikata roll his eyes. Always a man of humor, only Harada was able to bring such words to the battle-field, and despite his reaction, Hijikata was comforted to see Harada still in good spirits. He knew that he would be leaving the position of the Shinsen-Gumi in good hands.

When the doors of the castle were opened, Ootori, Kondou and Hijikata approached Katsura Kogoro, bearing the flags of their respective factions. It was true that the Sat-Chou Alliance had the Imperial Brocade Flags, cementing their status as the Imperial Army, but by doing so, they were also asserting their own legitimacy, that they of the Sat-Chou Alliance had falsified their claims, using the Emperor as their puppet.

"Finally, we meet one another after years of plotting," Katsura Kogoro said to them once the formal greetings have been exchanged.

"If we didn't count wrongly, you've tried to assassinate various officials of the Bakufu 37 times," Ootori replied with a ready smile. There had been a rumor that within the ranks of the Sat-Chou Alliance were various individuals that worked in the shadows, spilling blood of the agents of the Bakufu in the dead of the night, or even in plain sight. These individuals had no names, and were hidden even by the top echelons of the Sat-Chou Alliance. The Shinsen-Gumi had a hunch that some of them were from the Goryo Eiji, the short-lived faction created by their former ally, Itou Kashitaro, who had successfully assassinated Sakamoto Ryouma from Tosa, and attempted an assassination on Kondou, but it had only been a hunch.

Katsura Kogoro smiled in return, proving himself to be a man of gentle mannerisms as he was said to be. "Meanwhile your agents hound us at every movement. I think the scores will be counted until three mornings have passed before we are even." Despite his gentle words, Hijikata could sense that this was a man that was ruthless, willing to do whatever it took to win. "So, what is your decision? Are you willing to secede this castle to the Imperial Army, or will you hazard a wager as to who will emerge the victor of this battle?"

"We've defended this castle before your arrival, and we'll do so again," Hijikata replied bluntly. "Attack us and you will see what we're made of."

Katsura sighed. "I was afraid that you would say such things, Hijikata Toshizou of the Shinsen-Gumi," he replied, shaking his head. "You must know that no matter what our differences, we are still from the same country. How many lives of men must we put to an end, fighting with each other?"

"If I recall, your forces were the ones who started this conflict in the first place," Kondou added. "Isn't it a bit hypocritical to say that whatever fighting that was aroused from your actions is senseless?"

"So it seems that neither of us is willing to back down," Katsura said. "Very well then, we will meet each other on the battlefield, if that is what you wish. I would have wanted to end this without a fight."

Hijikata harrumphed. "Seeing as to what you've been planning to deploy, it's certainly evident," he muttered. It was a low blow, but in the very least, he tried to be subtle with such claims. Katsura's already fair face paled at his words, knowing that his implication had taken firm root. It was a display of the effectiveness of the Bakufu's intelligence networks as well. It was Hijikata's way of telling Katsura that they knew everything that he was doing even with their backs turned.

After regaining his composure, Katsura pushed his long, turquoise fringe away from his eyes and said, "We were merely acting on necessity. I did not see the Shinsen-Gumi cringing when the Bakufu forced such monstrosities on them a few years ago. Nevertheless, I am sure that without them, we will have a fair fight on both sides."

No more words were exchanged. They bowed to one another in utter respect and formality and returned to their respective sides. Instructions and orders could be heard from either side once their leaders returned to their folds, and they knew that the battle would begin on the first sound of cannon-fire.

* * *

In Koufu Castle, those orders were shouted in a mixture of French and Japanese. The Frenchmen were headed by one Jules Brunet, a man who had been in Japan so long that he could speak Japanese as though he was a local, and was one of Ootori's most trusted advisors. "Brunet-san, what do you think of our chances of victory?" Ootori asked Brunet.

"We seem to have the higher ground," Brunet answered, gesturing that the French cannons that now lined the battlements of the castle. "But… it means nothing if we do not have the range to compete against theirs."

"That is to say, we don't really know what those English cannons are capable of," Hijikata summarized. "But we have the high ground…"

Kondou knew that tone of voice. It was one that only occurred when a brilliant idea entered his head. "Toshi, what are you thinking about?"

"I was wondering, that we might not have the range to hit the Imperial Army, but we will have the range to hit their cannons, don't we?" Hijikata continued, looking towards Ootori and Brunet. "Since Brunet-san arrived with such a bounty of cannons, I think we might just pull this off."

Brunet was astonished at Hijikata's idea. "Incroyable!" he sputtered in his own tongue. "Sugoi desu yo, Hijikata-san," he translated. "However, it does pose a problem… how do we ensure that we don't fire on our own men during this time?"

"We move then away from the cannon's range," Ootori quipped. "Deploy a team of men to attack the enemy from the rear…"

Kondou lit up at Ootori's idea. "We know just the men to do it, don't we, Toshi?"

Hijikata nodded. "Harada and Shinpachi," he answered. "They might just be crazy enough to do it."

The Imperial Army had started the battle, just moments before sunset. The first cannon-ball fired from their ranks landed just before the gates of the castle, proving only one thing, that the English cannons were not as powerful as they had thought without the aid of having the high ground. Now, with the aid of the wind, the Bakufu's French cannons now had the added advantage.

Katsura Kogoro remained calm. He knew that with an adjustment of a few feet, they would be able to tear down the walls of the castle. It was a risk that he knew he had to take. Koufu Castle was the one obstacle that would lead the Imperial Army into Edo, an obstacle that must be felled no matter what the cost.

It was then when he heard the roar of cannons not of their own rain upon the front lines of his army. "They're firing at our cannons!" the men exclaimed. The crash of brass being destroyed could be heard, and before long, about half their cannons were gone.

"Pull back!" Katsura shouted. "Pull back the artillery!" Then, he directed his gunmen to cover those who were moving the cannons. "Shoot the ones manning the cannons! I want them dead!"

It was not the first shock that Katsura suffered at the hands of the warriors of the Bakufu. Seconds later, while his forces were still trying to salvage the last of their artillery, warning calls came from the back. They were being attacked in their rear position on two sides, of about a hundred people on each side, headed by men who bore green standards of the Shinsen-Gumi. Katsura's knowledge of the rival faction knew that it meant that the attackers were leaders of the Shinsen-Gumi's divisions… But leading three hundred against three thousand… while a hundred remained to defend their cannons, what kind of strategy was this?

"Open the gate, let the first battalion out!" Kondou shouted from his position near the gate. In attempting to maneuver their cannons out of range, Katsura Kogoro had exposed not only his gunmen but his foot soldiers as well. Two hundred men were sent out to cut down those that formed the front lines of the Imperial Army.

From the battlements, Ootori watched the proceedings of the battle, highly impressed with what he was seeing. "It seems like you know your men well, Hijikata-kun," he praised Hijikata, noting the progress of the two green banners at the rear of the Imperial Army's position.

"You've not seen anything yet," Hijikata smirked, noting that the last rays of the sun had already disappeared deep into the horizon. Torches had started to burn everywhere, and it was at that exact moment when some of the men from the Shinsen-Gumi started going through what Ootori could only describe as a strange transformation. Two more green banners appeared, held by men who had hair white as snow and eyes that could only be said to contain an eerie, red glow.

"What are those… men?" Ootori asked, jumping slightly once he saw the two newcomers in the battlefield.

"Rasetsu," Hijikata replied simply. "Sannan Keisuke and Toudou Heisuke."

Ootori knew those names. They were formerly the Souchou (colonel) and the Captain of the 8th Division of the Shinsen-Gumi respectively. But… they have been declared dead long before the Shinsen-Gumi arrived in Koufu… "You used your own men in your experiments?" Ootori asked Hijikata, incredulous after seeing what havoc both Sannan and Heisuke could wreak. "But you said…"

"They chose to be Rasetsu on their own accords," Hijikata explained, and said nothing else. Although he knew that they were carrying great risks in using their abilities as Rasetsu, he also knew that there was nothing to stop the two of them from fighting. They needed blood, and blood was widely available on the battle-field, and more importantly, no matter what they were and what they had become, they would always fight underneath the banners of the Shinsen-Gumi.

Between Sannan and Heisuke, they had already created a permanent line of separation between the rear and front positions of the Imperial Army. Thus, the three thousand men that Katsura Kogoro had brought with him were not split into two, each side faced with the men from the Bakufu.

It was soon time for Hijikata to enter the battlefield. "Hijikata-kun, you are to remain here!" Ootori exclaimed. "Officers of your rank should not need to fight!"

"Katsura Kogoro is out there spilling the blood of our brothers," Hijikata countered. "I would do the same to him and his."

There was no way for Ootori to convince Hijikata to do otherwise. By then, Kondou had ordered the deployment of the second deployment, with Hijikata at their helm, aiming straight for Katsura.

"It would seem that your fame was not falsely spread, Hijikata," Katsura greeted him as their katana clashed against one another. "And here we thought that the Shinsen-Gumi were only a pack of lone wolves, clinging onto a forgotten time and age…"

Hijikata pushed Katsura back and delivered a forward thrust which Katsura quickly parried, ending once again in another stalemate. "One could die if one was a slow learner," he replied. Indeed, the Shinsen-Gumi had acted as a failed shield for the Bakufu, thinking that they alone, under the directives of the Aizu-han was sufficient for the defense of Kyoto. Now that they had seen the error of their ways, and gathered with like-minded forces, it would seem that their chances of winning had gotten much higher than they once were.

Many more blows were exchanged since the first bout of their duel, the time that seemed to have passed between them seeming like various eternities. They were evenly matched, Hijikata and Katsura, both swordsmen born in the time of relative peace, both drawn into the conflict they now embroiled themselves in because of their ideals and loyalties to those around them. In a different life and time, they could have been brothers in arms... With much effort, Hijikata was able to cut Katsura in the leg. A mere scratch compared to the gore surrounding them, but enough to ensure that Katsura was having some difficulty to stand. Two soldiers saw their leader in apparent trouble, and immediately rushed to support him.

"Katsura-san, we can't hold out like this!" one of them said. More and more Bakufu soldiers had poured in from the front and rear, and they had been completely closed in. Katsura bit his lip, looking around him.

"It's over, Katsura Kogoro," Hijikata told him. "Your cannons are destroyed and your men have nowhere to run."

"Kill me and I will be made a martyr," Katsura spat. "With my death, you will have the entire Imperial Army breathing down your neck, along with our ships at Osaka pitted against your navy at Edo…"

"Wouldn't it be an easy death for you?" Hijikata demanded. What Katsura said was true. The death of someone as important as Katsura would not sit easily for the remnants of the Bakufu. Their position there at Koufu would be overrun if the rest of the Imperial Army came after their hides. Soon enough, Sannan came up to them and killed the men supporting Katsura, causing him to fall to the ground. "Sannan-san, what do we do with him?"

Sannan sighed. "Bring him into the castle, of course," he replied. "His death would bring little benefit to us, but… I am sure that he can tell us many stories if he is kept alive." A snap of Sannan's fingers brought about four men from the Bakufu to hold Katsura down. It was a sight enough to stop the fighting for a moment.

"There's no use torturing me," Katsura threatened. "I would be of better use to you dead."

"That leaves to be seen," Sannan replied. He nodded towards Hijikata and announced that Katsura Kogoro had been taken by the Shinsen-Gumi. "Now, Katsura-san, would you order your men to lay down their arms and join you quietly or would you rather us disarm them for you?"

Katsura Kogoro had no choice but to order their surrender.

The Bakufu had successfully defended Koufu Castle for the second time, a victory that would be always remembered as the Second Battle of Koushu-Katsunuma.

 


	13. The Homecoming

The beauty of the cove where their ship was moored was so great that Chizuru found no words to speak. The sun's golden rays reflected upon the white sands, making look as if it glittered like millions of diamonds, while the sea around them seemed to be a mix of sapphire, emerald and turquoise at various depths...

"Welcome home, Chizuru," Kazama told her once he helped her to exit the skiff they used to disembark from the ship to the shore. Chizuru had sworn that there was a trick of light that made her think that he was actually smiling. But when she looked up at him again, the smile had gone, replaced by his usual, self-important expression.

There was no one there to welcome them, strangely. She had thought that a person like Kazama would have arranged for a whole welcoming party to wait for them at the cove, but no one was there. She did not say anything about the subject, but realized that for some reason, her arm had been locked in his. It somehow made it easier for her to walk on the sand, and as always, she cast her gaze down to hide her apparent embarrassment.

It took them a few minutes to cross over the sandy beach to arrive at the entrance of the village. It was exactly like how Kazama had shown her, a village nestled in a volcanic valley, bustling with activity. As they passed by the plantations of radishes, teas and even mulberries for silk, those that saw Kazama smiled and gave him curt, polite bows before carrying on with their own work.

Soon, even the plantations had ended in sight, and they were now at the foot of a mountain that had been a dead volcano, covered in trees. Before them was a magnificent manor, almost as beautiful as the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. It was, of course, the symbol of power of the Kazama clan.

"This village cannot be found by those who have never seen it," Kazama told Chizuru as they entered the manor. "We have trained illusionists to maintain our defenses around the areas of the village. Whenever a human enters our borders, all they will see is an overflowing green meadow leading towards the seaside." Before, they had occupied another side of the mountains, much closer to the human population in that area, with much more land for their agricultural activities. Now that they had to hide from the humans, they would have to make do with a lesser area, but with Kazama's careful calculations, he was sure that it was enough to feed a few more generations before they needed to expand again.

They took off their sandals and entered the main hall of the manor. They bowed at the entrance of the hall, still joined arm in arm until they reached a part of the hall where five individuals were seated, engrossed in either playing chess, reading, or just drinking tea. It was then when Kazama let go of Chizuru and gave them a deep bow. They were the elders of the Kazama clan. As Kazama had instructed to Amagiri, they did indeed smell heavily of lavender.

"Ah, Chikage, you have returned from the wars of the humans?" asked a female. Like Kazama, she had hair the color of the sun, but her eyes were as blue as the skies above them. "Welcome home."

"Obaa-sama," Kazama greeted his paternal grandmother. While he was the leader of the Kazama family, she was the matriarch of the family, the one who held half of the real power in the clan. He gestured towards Chizuru and added, "This is Yukimura Chizuru…"

Kazama's grandmother smiled and nodded towards Chizuru, who fell into an even deeper bow than Kazama. "I know who you are, child. I saw you with your family when your troth was announced." She walked towards Chizuru and held her hands in hers. "You must have lived a difficult life amongst the humans after the destruction of your clan… It gladdens me to see you back in the embrace of our people."

"Thank you," Chizuru murmured shyly. She had never expected to meet such a warm and kindly presence in the Kazama village.

"Chikage, you have done well in bringing the last Yukimura daughter back to our lands," said yet another elder, a male. "We have heard terrible rumors that a survivor of her clan has created false Oni in the service of the Imperialist forces."

"Amagiri and I have destroyed them all," Kazama replied. "Even Yukimura Koudou."

Chizuru's breath hitched a little at the mention of her father's death. The memories of that night was still fresh in her mind, and she still had great difficulty in getting past the effects of such a scenario.

"Was he closely related to you, child?" Kazama's grandmother asked her in a soft voice.

After a slight pause, Chizuru shook her head. "No," she answered truthfully. "But… he raised me like his own daughter… He was kind, and gentle…" As she defended the memory of her father, she raised her head naturally and spoke, as if her natural confidence had returned. Such an act intrigued the elders of the Kazama clan, Kazama's grandmother most of all, and when she thought that she had stepped over the line, she offered her a kind smile.

"We offer you our condolences then," Kazama's grandmother said, with the rest of the elders repeating her gesture. After that, she addressed Kazama. "Since your betrothed's father had just recently departed, we can't possibly have the wedding ceremony any time soon… It is a conundrum indeed."

"I have promised Chizuru to have it in a year's time, Obaa-sama," Kazama replied.

There was nothing his grandmother could do if that had been promised to Chizuru. The Oni always upheld their promises, no matter how strange or how self-destructive they could be. That was how they had lived, and that was how they had upheld their honor.

"It seems that you have decided everything for yourself, Chikage," Kazama's grandmother admonished him gently. "Do you even need old bags of bones like us to help you with your affairs anymore?"

Kazama deferred to her with a little bow. "I wouldn't dare, Obaa-sama," he answered curtly. "Chizuru has lived most of her life away from our kind, and I just deemed that a year among us would do her good before assuming her duties as the daughter in law of our clan, to acclimatize herself to the customs and traditions of our people as well…"

The elders conferred among themselves for a few moments and the third said, "We shall do as you have planned, Chikage. Our clans shall be joined in the New Year. Meanwhile, Yukimura-kun shall be an honored guest in our village as your future bride. We shall care for her as our own."

"Arigatou," Kazama thanked them with another bow, as did Chizuru. "We shall take our leave. Chizuru has travelled far from Edo, and would benefit from adequate rest."

"Off you go, Chikage," his grandmother acknowledged. "Oh, and Chizuru, you can call me Hana-baa. My name is Hana, after all."

"Hai, Hana-baa," Chizuru replied with a ready smile, causing Hana to return the gesture.

"Now, there is the famous beauty of the Yukimura clan," Hana commented. "No wonder my grandson is so taken with you…" At that point of time, Chizuru could not help but wonder if it was an inherent trait of the Kazama clan to tease everyone and anyone in sight. Of course, she kept her own thoughts to herself, allowing Kazama to lead her to their next destination.

The fourth elder sighed. "This child has the stench of humans strong about her," she said, fanning herself with a simple paper fan. "She has been around them for far too long."

"Her ties with the human world have not been cut," the fifth continued, a male Oni with flame-red hair and grey eyes. "Soon, there will be an entire host of them at our doorstep, waiting to claim her back into their fold… Hana, are you sure that you would risk this?"

"If they only come for the girl, then they will not be too much of a threat," Hana answered. "By leaving their ranks so suddenly, after displaying what our people can do so openly to the Imperialist domains, I fear that the humans will try to harness the powers of our kind again. Chikage has done right in hiding us thus, but… how long will this last?"

They could only hope, and nothing more. Their hope now lay in their prodigious scion, Kazama Chikage, who has done everything he could to defend their lands and themselves. If he was indeed able to secure a wife like Yukimura Chizuru, then their chances of survival would improve greatly, provided that they had issue from such a union. If not… they would have to fight to survive, as they always had. It would not be any different.

* * *

Chizuru's room was on the second floor of the manor, in a room overlooking village, a view that rolled from green fields, extending to the cove, where the ship they came in was still visible. Compared to her meagre quarters in the Nishi Hongan-ji in Kyoto, it was nothing short of extravagant. Silken screens separated the room into sections, decorated with porcelain and ornate, but elegant drawings.

"You will find everything you need in the cupboards," Kazama told her. "Don't worry, I have already left instructions to your tastes, they will not be too… luxurious."

She thanked Kazama and his lips curled into his usual, sly smile. He lifted her chin, and told her, "You did well today, Chizuru. My grandmother seems to like you." Seeing that her cheeks were still red, he chuckled. "You have spent months with me and still you act as if we are strangers. I guess it is only fitting. Back here, we will have to be constantly chaperoned after you've settled down. I would have to… behave around you hence."

"I am thankful for that," she returned, trying to stare him down, but finding no ability to do so. As Kazama turned to leave, she called him back. "Kazama-san… do you have any news about the Shinsen-Gumi?"

"I do not," Kazama answered. He was, after all, on the same ship as Chizuru throughout their journey. "However, Amagiri would have plenty of news when he arrives in a few days. Be patient, my future wife."

"I am not your future wife!" she returned for the umpteenth time.

"You might as well be, even my clan elders have cemented that fact when you met them," Kazama reminded her. "Dinner will be served at sundown. I will leave you here until then." Having said thus, Kazama nodded to the young girl that was to be assigned to Chizuru as her handmaid, and went to his grandmother's quarters. He was sure that there was much that she would talk to him about, particularly about his actions during his time with the humans.

A few left turns and descending a flight of stairs brought him to where he wanted to be. "Obaa-sama, it's me," he sounded off.

"Ah, please enter, Chikage," Hana replied from inside. "Now, let me have a good look at you… My boy, you've gotten thinner than the last time I saw you, hasn't your future wife been feeding you?" Kazama did not reply. It was a rhetorical question, after all, and a favorite saying of all grandmothers, no matter human or Oni. "Imagine, you being able to locate your long-lost betrothed… it must have been quite a surprise for you."

He knew where his grandmother was coming from. With the annihilation of the Yukimura clan, there had been no more eligible Oni girls for him to marry, save for Sen-hime, their princess. Despite having a tiny drop of human blood from her ancestors, the girl was still Oni royalty, and no one, not even those from their clan was able to overturn any decision that she made, which rather turned Kazama from the idea of the match. But from the very moment Kazama saw Chizuru's kodachi during the Kinmon No Hen, and the incredible speed in which her wounds healed had proven many times over that she was his intended future bride. From then on, his focus was only to bring her back to his lands, and he had achieved his goals. All he needed to do is to marry her after a year, and he would be free do to as he pleased, no longer bound to the wills of his clan elders, and the expectation of his grandmother.

"You sound as if you adore her already," Kazama observed. His grandmother, although the matriarch of a powerful clan, was still as all grandmothers were, kindly, warm and gentle. However, she was also a very powerful Oni, able to look into the hearts and thoughts of others with just a single gaze.

"I actually do," Hana replied. "Although… I have to say that her mind… it is not wholly with you. She is constantly thinking about her human companions… Do you know this, Chikage?"

Kazama sighed. "She was placed in the care of the Shinsen-Gumi for about three to four years after Yukimura Koudou disappeared from Kyoto," he explained. "Somehow, she seemed to be bonded to those peasant samurai, and…"

"You raided their headquarters and decided to just steal her away from them?"

There was no hiding from his grandmother at all. "Yes, Obaa-sama,"

Hana rubbed her temples, as if she was nursing a headache. "Child, have I ever taught you that a woman does not like to be kidnapped or threatened into marriage?" she demanded. "Yet… you seem to have an effect on the girl. For all your insensitivities towards a woman's heart, you are doing pretty well for yourself."

It was at this rare moment when Kazama himself widened his eyes in disbelief. "Obaa-sama, what are you playing at?" he asked her.

"She is in love with the… head of this Shinsen-Gumi you spoke of, no?" Hana explained, although she was not very sure about the details from only briefly scanning Chizuru's thoughts. "Oh, he's a very handsome fellow, mind you. Such violet eyes… a rarity among humankind…"

"Obaa-sama, please continue."

Hana grimaced. Her grandson never liked to beat around the bush. He was just like his father, stern and businesslike. "As I was saying, you, with all your attentions towards the girl, seemed to have given yourself a place closer to her heart. As for you, wouldn't it be so bad to at least admit to yourself that you are actually starting to care for her?"

"You are talking like Amagiri now, Obaa-sama," Kazama countered. "I did whatever I did to her so that she could ease into the role of being my bride without difficulty."

"That in itself has already revealed that your intentions of bringing her here are not entirely geared towards your own gains," Hana told her grandson. "I myself can't believe that it was utter coincidence that you found her upon the battlefield, after disappearing from the ranks of our people for more than a decade. But, you did, and she is now upstairs in the boudoir your mother once lived in. You honored your promise not to harm her companions if she would come here with you, and you even allowed her to see them again before you set out… You have done more than enough for her as a future husband. Yet, you allow her to keep you at arm's length, and draw comfort from you when she needs it, when her humans are not around her… You give me absolutely no confidence that your intentions towards this girl are solely to secure an heir."

Kazama said nothing. Crossing his arms, he looked towards the sea from whence he had come. "Those men after her heart would try everything they can to come here," he told his grandmother, trying to divert her attentions. "They will want to get her back."

"Let them try," Hana replied. "With such excellent defenses you put around our village, they would have to be great Oni to cross them. If they succeed in doing so, they are more than your rivals. They are your equals. Then, and only then, she is free to choose whom she will give her heart and the rest of her days to."

Those words that his grandmother said held dual meaning. It was not only a mere observation, but also her judgment towards the outcomes of the game that they had placed themselves in, whether by design or by chance. It was a judgment that even he could not overturn. "Hai, Obaa-sama," Kazama thanked his grandmother.

"Now, shall we get ready for dinner? I have a beautiful comb that I want to give to my future granddaughter-in-law…" Hana mused, and sent her grandson on his way to pick Chizuru up for dinner. "Be sure not to scare her too much, Chikage, or she might just endeavor to swim back to wherever her human protectors are."

* * *

"Chizuru-sama, you look absolutely stunning!" Chizuru's handmaiden, Sayo, exclaimed. Once Kazama had exited her room, the child came in and immediately drew a bath for her, after which dressed her in an elegant peach-hued kimono with a deep red obi. Chizuru, being a daughter of a doctor, and once a page for the Shinsen-Gumi was not used to such luxury, but knew that she could not possibly refuse the hospitality of her hosts.

"Please, I don't call me 'Chizuru-sama'… just my name is fine," Chizuru told her, utterly unused to such an honorific.

Sayo was taken aback at her humility, but knew that there was no one around it. "Oh no, Chizuru-sama! You're Chikage-sama's future bride, such formalities are a must!" the girl explained. It was only then when Chizuru realized the brevity of the situation that she was in. If she was to marry Kazama, she would be married to his whole clan. It was not a union between her and him, but between the Yukimura clan and the Kazama clan. She would be respected as the clan leader's wife, but would be expected to show the authority of such a position as well…. She did not know if she would ever fit into shoes that great.

"There's really nothing I can do about this, isn't there?" she asked Sayo, who shook her head briefly as she combed Chizuru's hair. Per her request, Sayo put her hair up in a simple bun, and selected what seemed to be the simplest accessories in her possession. Little did she know that the small green stone hanging from her hairpin was the finest jade from China, or that the lacquered boxes used to house the kanzashi that she had were actually heirlooms going back centuries in time…

Once she was done, Sayo let Chizuru see her own reflection in the mirror, and she was awed. She could not recognize the girl that she was seeing, wearing her clothes, having the same face. Her face has lost the subtle roundness of her youth, and her eyelashes, they were longer than she ever remembered… She was never a vain woman but… was that really her reflection?

"You were always a beautiful woman," Kazama's voice entered her mind, and when she saw his reflection at the corner of the mirror she almost dropped it. "It was an utter waste when you were dressed like a boy during your days with the Shinsen-Gumi. You never made a very convincing boy either…"

Sayo was flabbergasted. She had never known Kazama to act so poorly around anyone before, much less his future wife. However, she did not say anything, even though Chizuru seemed to be utterly tired of his antics.

"Come," Kazama said, holding out his hand to her. "Obaa-sama expects to see you at dinner, we mustn't let her wait too long."

Chizuru put the mirror down with a sigh and gave him her hand, knowing that if she had resisted his teasing, he would only tease her more. It was strange, to see Kazama unarmed and without that great black haori he always wore, but she kept such thoughts to herself. He would not let her hear the end of it if she even tried to imply that he was rather… handsome at times. He had an air of elegance and grace that no one she had ever known possessed, yet in that battle said grace would give in to strength and power.

At the small corner of her mind, she could not help but notice that Kazama was somehow… a twisted mixture of the men of the Shinsen-Gumi. He was stern like Hijikata, somewhat of a tease like Souji, a loyal warrior to his family like Saito, and somewhat attentive like Harada… Riddled with his apparent power as the heir and leader of the Kazama clan, and his actual physical prowess as an Oni…

Her thoughts had strayed too far, and before long, Chizuru reined herself back to reality when she felt Kazama lace his fingers between hers, as if he was silently claiming that she was his. The doors to the dining-room were opened by the attendants standing at either side, and she took a deep breath. It would be a long dinner indeed.


	14. The Unexpected Gifts

Being a revolutionary, Katsura Kogoro had already prepared himself for imprisonment, torture and execution, whichever came first. However, he did not expect to be given his own quarters, serviceable meals and even a clean set of clothes, least of all by the Shinsen-Gumi. His unusual predicament made him realize two things: that they were desperate to obtain whatever he knew, or, they were going to use him as a bargaining chip. Somehow, he felt it was a mix of the two.

However, the first question that they asked him was the only one that he did not expect. "Where is Yukimura Koudou?" Hijikata asked him, his expression even more fearsome than it was on the battlefield.

Katsura was determined to remain mum. "I do not know whom you are talking about," he replied, turquoise gaze meeting that of amethysts.

"You know about the Rasetsu, Katsura, you would most certainly know their source," Hijikata continued. Their distance was maintained at civility, but the ki emanating from Hijikata was deadly. "We have already known that he has switched over to  _your_  side even before the fighting started."

Katsura refused to say anything. "No matter what methods you use, you will not be able to make me talk," he told Hijikata in full defiance.

"Well, we knew that you wouldn't," Hijikata said, crossing his arms, as though he attempted to shield himself from the annoyance of Katsura's non-compliance. "That is why we tortured your accomplices instead, and discovered every single plot you conceived." A man like Katsura knew that it was most likely a ploy, a weapon used to strike his psyche. He continued to regard Hijikata with utter hostility. After what seemed to be an eternity, Hijikata spoke again. "It seems like you don't believe me, well then…"

With a snap of his fingers, the door behind Hijikata was opened, and a mangled, bloodied body was revealed. Katsura paled beyond recount. It was his lieutenant, who had served strictly beneath him. "Katsura… san…" his lieutenant moaned the moment he caught sight of him. "Forgive… me… I…"

Katsura held the man's hand, and nodded his head. "You did what you could, it is enough," Katsura replied. The man was dying, from the terrors of the dungeons of Koufu Castle, and he forced his lieutenant's eyes close the moment he breathed his last. "Hijikata Toshizou, you are undoubtedly nothing less than an Oni… have you no humanity?"

"I am merely taking a leaf from the man that would do anything to win," Hijikata answered. "You, on the other hand, have betrayed humanity by trying to introduce vast amounts of Rasetsu into the battlefield." He threw the photographs that Ootori's men had taken in Edo, the ones that depicted the ashes of the Rasetsu scattered all over the manor they were housed in. "Could Yukimura Koudou have destroyed his own creations?"

"I do not know," Katsura answered, finally. He realized that the questions that Hijikata had asked him were inconsequential in the grand design of things. It was almost as if his enemy had been aiming for something other than the total destruction of the Sat-Chou Alliance… If he could probe further, he could actually engineer his own escape from the clutches of the enemy and return to his allies… "The man appeared to us one night, promising us total victory… He showed us what those monsters could do, but the price was too great. I had my doubts of their use in the battlefield, but they held so much promise. But as we prepared to move towards this very castle, he disappeared, leaving the ashes you see here."

Hijikata's expression was unchanged, a cold, deathly one with his brows furrowed and his violet eyes clearer than ever. He said nothing else, and left the room, leaving Katsura to his own devices.

* * *

"Did Katsura say anything, Toshi?" Kondou asked Hijikata when he returned to the main hall of the castle.

"Nothing that we've already known," Hijikata replied, rubbing his temples. "However, he seems to be taking the bait." He had successfully gotten Katsura to be interested in the Shinsen-Gumi's other… pursuits, and would most likely try to obtain information from anyone he could lay his hands on.

Harada, however, did not like the progress of things. "Hijikata-san, I don't like this," he said in a low voice. Harada had rarely voiced out any misgivings he had towards any decisions made by Hijikata or Kondou, but this time, he felt that something was not right at all. "We might open Chizuru's position to Katsura."

Taking a deep breath, Hijikata countered, "No one knows where she is now, Sanosuke. The only ones who do are the Oni, and you know that they're all keeping their neutrality now. They won't tell anyone anything now that their debts are cleared." He placed a hand on Harada's shoulder, and continued, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

"Sano, Hijikata-san will never bring her to harm intentionally," Saito reassured Harada. Saito had always trusted Hijikata, because he had never once failed them. But then again, Saito also understood that Harada was not confident in this approach because it concerned the girl that they had held too close to their hearts for their own good. He said naught else, but Harada seemed to be at peace in the very least, following his words.

Sighing, Harada quipped, "I guess you're right, Saito. Hijikata-san, just… be careful."

"I will," Hijikata swore. "We can't try to find her if we don't win this war."

Soon, the meeting resumed its normal pace with the arrival of Ootori and his French advisor, Jules Brunet. Ootori seemed to be beaming, even more than usual, bringing two bottles of red wine from France and wine-glasses enough for everyone in the room with Brunet's help.

"I have good news all around!" Ootori proclaimed, quickly pouring the wine for all of them. "Due to their bravery and ingenuity in defending Koufu Castle, the Bakufu has decided to install all members of the Shinsen-Gumi to the rank of hatamoto!"

Silence rang the loudest at the proclamation. Widened eyes of various hues greeted Ootori and Brunet, and nothing more was said. Kondou's looked like they were about to bulge out of their sockets, while Hijikata's seemed to be glazed with disbelief. Of all the Shinsen-Gumi's honors, no matter how large… they had been only given them by the Aizu-han. But now, they were hatamoto, serving directly under the Shogun…

"Is… this true, Ootori-san?" Kondou asked Ootori, his usually boisterous voice, was now unsure and slightly timid.

Ootori smiled and nodded his head rather violently. "Here, my assistant has the documents to prove it!" Having said thus, his assistant arrived into the meeting room carrying a lacquered tray, bearing the documents that Ootori had mentioned. One by one, the documents were being passed to their respective owners, and at the end, there were still two remaining…

"These are for Sannan-san and Heisuke!" Hijikata exclaimed, and Ootori told him once again that  _all_  members of the Shinsen-Gumi were to be created hatamoto. It was an honor that none of them had expected, more so because most of them were not really from the samurai-classes, but sons of farmers, merchants and the like, while those that were, like Saito, Harada and Shinpachi, had been cast out of their han for various reasons, and were nothing more than ronin… To have such an honor bestowed upon them, was as though all that they had suffered for in the name of the Shinsen-Gumi was suddenly worth it.

That night, they celebrated amongst themselves, even just for a little while. For them, it was a bittersweet moment. True, it was a great and joyous occasion, but the remaining few they had to celebrate it with was enough to tone the mood down. "Gen-san should have been here to witness this," Sannan recounted in a sad, reminiscent tone. The dead could not be given such ranks, but Gen-san would have most likely be overjoyed if he knew that such an honor was conferred to them.

"That girl would be very happy indeed if she heard such good news too," Souji added. Although they of the Shinsen-Gumi showed little to no emotion regarding their duties, it was Chizuru who had carried their hearts in her little body. She cried for them, worried for them, and cared for them when they were unable to show what they had truly felt in their line of work.

"She's such a crybaby, she'd just sit there and cry tears of joy if she knew," Heisuke continued, knowing that he should have stayed silent like the rest of them.

"Well, we'll have to keep these papers safe then," Hijikata concluded, breaking the tension. "We're still going after her, hatamoto or no, when all this fighting is over." He had intended to bring every last one of them with him to break down whatever Kazama would use to hide his village with, and he would return to either Edo or Kyoto with Chizuru, no matter what it took. Now that Katsura Kogoro was in their custody, and they knew the designs of the Imperial Army, he was sure that that day would not be too far away from their sight.

Harada smiled and raised his cup. "I'll drink to that," he told them, giving all of them a toast of sake, a gesture welcomed by all.

* * *

"Here's to Chikage and his adorable future wife!" the men-folk toasted. Strangely, they were all seated on a round, wooden table for dinner. Apparently it had been a gift to Hana by a distant cousin who had lived in China. It had been there in the manor ever since and it had been used ever since. Chizuru did note that dining on a table had its benefits – one could talk easily with one another, with the table being round, and hierarchy could not be seen at all. At the corner of her eye, Chizuru could see that Kazama was only drinking to the toast out of formality's sake, and was absolutely bored, having to deal with his numerous cousins.

"Boys will be boys," Hana said to Chizuru, giving her a little wink. It was a fact that she knew rang true, no matter what race one belonged to. Strangely, it was she who seemed to be highly accustomed to this sort of company and not Chikage. "My grandson had always been the lonesome, quiet sort," Hana explained. "He would rather have himself for company than that of others, and when he was bored, he would play at games of war with the Amagiri and Shiranui boys whenever they were here to visit."

Hana then went on to explain that although Kazama had been the heir of the clan's leadership, he was actually the youngest his generation, which explained the obvious informality his cousins held towards him. There were no daughters in the clan in that generation, so he only had aunts and nieces, due to the five-to-one ratio of male to female Oni, which could explain his ill behavior towards women, because he simply did not learn how to handle them in informal settings where he would have to think on how to interact with them.

Of course, Chizuru knew that Hana had been joking at her grandson's expense. She did not need anyone to tell her what he was or was not capable of. Undefeated in combat, unchecked in his ability to hold his liquor, topped off with a hint of roguishness, she knew that almost any woman would have melted at his feet if he would so demand it. Sadly, she was not that woman, but it appeared as if that Kazama had not shown any deference towards her.

Soon, dinner was finally served. The Kazama clan was an agricultural family, as befitting with the economic activities of the Satsuma domain, but the food served that night was something that Chizuru had not expected at all: it was seafood. Abalone, giant prawns and crabs, octopi, sea urchins and various kinds of fish, they were cooked in a myriad of methods and was all served to honor their new guests, the leader and survivor of the Yukimura family.

Chizuru had been so overwhelmed that she did not know how to start. Sensing her dilemma, Kazama put a piece of cut octopus into her bowl, followed by the eel wordlessly and continued eating. His relatives all saw the gesture and were all smiles about it, causing Chizuru, ever the shy one, to once again go so red that her complexion seemed orange with the warmth of the candlelight.

Dinner continued to be a noisy, but somehow intimate affair. Only those closest to Kazama were there, his grandmother, uncles, aunts and cousins. They were there to celebrate the arrival of the future addition to their family. "It's good to have another woman here," one of Kazama's aunts sighed. "I swear that this place is overflowing with the stench of men…"

"The softness of a woman is undoubtedly needed here," an uncle added. "Look at how she's tamed our little Chikage here!"

The room fell into a loud bout of laughter, and by this time, Chizuru was completely sure that humor at the expense of others was  _definitely_  a trait of the Kazama clan. Once all the food had gone, and the sake served again by the dozens of bottles, Hana called to Chizuru again.

"Child, I have a little gift for you," she said, passing a red cushioned box to Chizuru, who accepted the gift with utmost respect. She opened the box and realized that it was a comb, made of black lacquer, inlaid with the motifs of various flowers made with mother of pearl of various shades, detailed in glittering gold. A great silence fell through the dining table as they saw what Hana had given Chizuru, and jaws dropped silently as Kazama offered to help her put it on. "It suits you very much indeed, Chizuru, I hope you like it."

"Arigatou," Chizuru thanked Hana graciously, showing the breeding as befitting her station. But then again, Chizuru herself had always been a polite individual. Glancing at Kazama quizzically, it was obvious that she did not know the significance of the comb, unlike everyone else, but since Hana did not reveal any other information regarding it, she did not probe further.

"Obaa-sama, Chizuru seems tired, I shall escort her back to her room," Kazama said, asking for permission from his grandmother to be excused from the drinking that followed dinner. Hana nodded, and Kazama bowed to her and the rest of his relatives with Chizuru before exiting the dining room, hand in hand, as they had come. Once they were a safe distance away from the dining room, he told her, "Do not think that I got you out of there because I wanted to save you from any embarrassment. I did it because they would not tire making fun of me as well."

Chizuru stopped walking to glare at him. "Now you know how I feel when you do the same thing to me," she retorted. Her hands flew to her hips, as though she was lecturing a boy on proper behavior. Kazama smiled his usual smile and continued walking, beckoning her to follow him. Instead of her room, Kazama led her to a back of the manor, the side that faced the mountain. There, they were faced by the darkness of the night sky even as the halls were extremely well-lit. Kazama leaned against the railing, and panted in relief.

"That comb my grandmother gave you is a family heirloom," Kazama explained, clearly knowing what went on in her mind. "It is the symbol of the mistress of the clan, and returned to Obaa-sama's ownership when my mother died."

Chizuru's eyes bulged to a great width when she heard Kazama's explanation. "But…"

"Don't worry," Kazama cut her off. "If at any time during the span of one year, you find yourself unable to enter our clan, you will be free to return it."

Chizuru was unsure if she had heard Kazama wrongly. Was he actually giving her a choice? But if he was, why then, did he force her to come with him, threatening the lives of the Shinsen-Gumi? What did he have to gain if she could choose not to marry him in the first place?

Sensing her confusion, Kazama continued, "I can make you come here, and I can make you stay for as long as I desire. But if your heart is not in it, then why should I waste our time and energy? I told you before, a husband and wife in the terms of our people are equals…"

"Then why did you bring me here?" Chizuru demanded him, her heart racing at speeds that she did not expect. No, it was not fear. She had already gotten past her fear of him. He had been everything but fearsome towards her in the days that she had spent with him.

"I brought you here to protect you, Chizuru. I cannot allow you to remain with the Shinsen-Gumi for reasons need not be repeated," he answered her, knowing that it was truth enough for her. "Also… I am more than interested in you," he added after a pregnant pause, pulling her close to him by her waist. Closing his eyes, he brought his lips to hers, bringing her into a kiss that she did not expect. Her first instinct was to fight, but soon, she lost all ability to defend herself against him. His hold was strong, so strong that she could not move, the warmth of his body apparent and his… eyelashes long. Before long, she was even returning his kiss, bringing her arms around him, as if instinct had kicked in. "This is the proof that we are not unrelated to one another," he told her when the kiss broke, tracing her slightly bruised lips with his thumb. A touch lighter than a feather.

He knew that with so many eyes around them, it had been unwise to make such an advance towards her. But somehow, in the corner of his mind, Chizuru had seemed to accept the fact that there was no way out for her at that moment when his grandmother had given her the comb. He wanted to know if she had just stopped fighting, or it was as his grandmother had said, that she was actually starting to feel something towards him other than duty towards the peasant samurai that she had left.

Without giving her a chance to react further, he took her arm in his and escorted her to her room with utter civility and respect. No words were exchanged between them, but that silence spoke volumes about the situation between them. Chizuru herself had realized that no matter how violently she had fought to defend herself against Kazama, she knew that with time, her defenses would soon fall. Her countenance was never as strong as she hoped it to be, and for some reason, she felt… ashamed, that she could allow herself to feel such things about Kazama. What about Hijikata, who had told her so passionately that he had loved her? What about Harada, Souji and Saito, who had always protected her, and Heisuke as well?

Her head was swimming by the time she reached her room. She was so tired that she did not bother to thank Kazama and wish him goodnight, and dove straight towards her futon, which had been magically set up for her. She would sleep, and the morning would bring new answers.

It better bring new answers.


	15. The Renewal

"Now that you have already settled down, there are a few things that I must bring to your attention, Chizuru," Hana said to Chizuru three afternoons after her arrival in the village of the Kazama clan. The two of them were walking with each other, exploring the entire estate with one another. They were accompanied by their respective handmaidens, who kept their distance from their mistresses to give them the privacy they needed. "As you have already come of age, you must be formally installed as the leader of the Yukimura clan."

All this while, Chizuru had thought that she was the survivor of her clan, and only that. She had once sought to use her position as the survivor, and hence, the leader of her clan against Kazama in hopes to save her adoptive father, Koudou, but since her failure, she had never claimed the position for herself since. "But… how do you know that I am surely the heir to my clan?" The question, which she had deemed to be utterly complex, actually had a simple answer.

"Your name, Chizuru, has already indicated that you would be the heir," Hana told her. "According to the traditions of our race, those with the character '千' in their names are often trained to be the leaders of the clans." It was only then did Chizuru realize this pattern. Sen-hime, the princess of Oni nobility had it, her name being written as 千姬, while Kazama's given name, Chikage was 千景… Hers, was of course 千鹤. "Once an Oni child receives a name like this, he or she would undergo training to lead their clans, be it in weapons or other forms of knowledge to be used to guide and protect their people."

This was where Chizuru knew that she fell short on her suitability for the role. She was unable to fight, and only knew how to cook, sew and clean. She was more of a housewife than a leader. However, a sudden thought crossed her mind. Kaoru… Kaoru also had the character '千' in his name, although it was concealed: 熏, which would mean that he could be the leader of the Yukimura clan and not her… "I have an older brother, Kaoru," she told Hana, who merely smiled and nodded.

"Ah yes, Nagumo Kaoru," Hana mused. "I believe that he was officially adopted into the Nagumo clan and is now their clan leader. By doing so, he has already forfeited his chance of being the leader of your clan… It is only a formality, I assure you."

Kazama had been right in telling her that the Oni was a race that placed tradition with utmost reverence. However, she knew that it was not a bad thing indeed. With all the perils of living as a rival species as the humans, being in constant danger of total annihilation by a species whose numbers greatly outranked theirs, perhaps their traditions and ceremonies were what made life worth living, even if they just provided something for them to look forward to.

"If you see that it's necessary, Hana-baa, I don't see why not," Chizuru replied with a slight smile. Deep down, she knew that there was no use sulking about her situation. If this was the opportunity to reconnect with her roots, and gain some insight about herself and her family, who was to say that it would not give her a better future?

"Ah, very well then," Hana said. "I shall make all the arrangement. All you need is to bring that kodachi of yours to the ceremony, and have Chikage as your witness."

Kazama? Chizuru's complexion paled slightly. She had not seen him ever since the night of their arrival, when he recklessly embraced her and kissed her. She had not been able to wrap her head around the reasons for his doing so, and she often berated herself for replaying the memory over and over again. "Eh?" she peeped as she blinked her eyes at the very mention of Kazama's name.

"My child, only a fellow can leader can officiate the ascension of a fellow clan leader," Hana explained. "If you do not wish for Chikage to act as your witness, I could send word to Tosa to request the presence of your brother, Kaoru…"

Chizuru knew that it was an even worse choice than Kazama, seeing how Kaoru acted during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. She did not know the motives of her twin brother, but she knew that his intentions were not benevolent at all. "Kazama-san would be fine," she relented, much to Hana's amusement.

"You are a funny child indeed," Hana commented, on hearing how Chizuru had addressed her grandson. "The both of you are to be married and still you address him by his surname? It is rare indeed!" Looking back, Chizuru had always addressed others thus. It was not a way to keep others at a distance, merely how she treated others, reflecting the impeccability of her manners. This child was the perfect Japanese girl, demure, mild-mannered and no doubt pleasing to the eye. Yet, it was not these qualities that she had been looking for in a granddaughter-in-law. With enough time and training, there was no doubt that she could be as powerful as her grandson.

Chizuru held her silence for a moment, and decided to change the subject. "So, Hana-baa, how would you usually pass the time here?" she asked. She had gone through three days without doing any work and was already starting to fidget here and there, what with Sayo, her handmaiden, not allowing her to do even the most minor forms of work like storing her futon in the morning.

"Does the thought of sitting around composing poetry, ikebana and drinking tea all day scare you, child?" Hana asked her in return, sensing her apparent apprehension towards those traditional art forms. Perhaps she was not so much of the perfect Japanese girl, after all. "You are free to do as you like, really, there are no rules to govern what we can or cannot do as the guest of our clan."

At those words, Chizuru heaved a sigh of relief. For some reason, she really wanted to go to the seaside again. Ever since she had been on the ship from Edo, she had discovered that she actually enjoyed the openness of the sea. She had never felt so… free when she was surrounded by the sight of the horizon where the sea and sky met.

"Just remember, child, that dinner is served strictly at sundown," Hana reminded her, and let Chizuru be off on her own. The child must have been terribly in need of some amount of space to think and to recover from all that she had seen. From the silk plantations, she moved towards the beach, and once she was there, she took off her sandals and dipped her toes into the sand.

The sand was warm, so fine and white, but many times coarser than snow. Being raised in Edo, she had not the opportunity to marvel in such beauty, save for that of the mountains and the forests. She walked to the center of the beach, and took refuge underneath a palm tree, a tree that she knew that she had never seen before coming here. Like all trees it grew tall, reaching towards the heavens, but it did not have wide branches. Instead, its leaves were long, and its stem billowed in the wind. Sitting on her sandals to prevent the sand from getting into her clothes, she leaned against the palm and set her eyes, far, far into the horizon, with the sea-breeze and the lapping of the waves on the sand forming a gentle lullaby for her ears.

* * *

"It's a miracle…" Matsumoto exclaimed when he examined Souji. Hijikata, Harada and Saito had taken Souji back into Edo city to have a little check-up by the good doctor. "Those French medicines you have been taking most certainly helped in aiding to combat the onset of tube…" He was interrupted by a little cough from Souji, reminding him that he was actually meant to have kept his silence about his contracting tuberculosis, although it was evident that everyone knew about it. "Your… weird flu, Souji, it's getting better."

Souji smiled, looking no different than a kitten that was extremely pleased with his most recent adventure in creating mischief. "It's good to hear that, Matsumoto-sensei," he replied. "So, when can I reenter the battle-field?"

Hijikata frowned at such a question. "Souji…" he admonished. Although it was clearer to him than anyone that Souji had lived for the fight, he still thought that Souji should have rested more. There was plenty of fighting to go around, and Souji should concentrate his energies on getting better before he tried any other endeavors.

"If you keep up with this kind of improvement, I don't see why you can't fight in about two weeks," Matsumoto replied. Two weeks would be enough time to ensure that whatever miracle had been bestowed upon Souji was truly a miracle. "Until then, you're not to do anything too… strenuous, or it's straight back to bed for you."

"Hai, hai," Souji replied almost attentively, knowing that Matsumoto would not take no for an answer. He was already strong enough that he could stand erect, as he had always done before contracting that dreadful disease. Already exuding the confidence that he had always possessed, it brought relief to all who saw him then. It was as if Souji had truly returned, and not the shell of feigned strength, frustrated by disease.

Matsumoto shook his head. Souji was already a man grown, but sometimes he was still as stubborn as a mule. Come to think of it, all of them were, in their own way. "So, how are the rest of the Shinsen-Gumi doing?" he asked, a question which brought many reactions. They told him that they were now made hatamoto following their dual victory at Koufu, and that some of them had even began training under Ootori's French advisors in the art of modern warfare. "Ah, that's all very good, congratulations… but… where is Chizuru-chan? Honestly I'd half-expected for her to come along with you."

It was then when the general mood soured. "She's in the protection of the Kazama clan," Harada answered. In a way, it was true, and there was no need to reveal to Matsumoto what the Kazama clan actually was. "She said that she didn't want to be in our way anymore."

"Well, you can't beat that logic of hers," Matsumoto summed up. "War is no place for a young girl like her anyways… I've heard news that her father's passed on too. The poor thing will be absolutely crushed when she hears about it."

"How did Koudou-san die?" Hijikata asked, suddenly not wishing to veil the fact with pretty words. Chizuru was not here, and there really was no need for that.

"Some sort of massacre in the manor in the city, it seemed," Matsumoto answered. "I don't know all the details, but one of my patients described him to be a regular in that particular manor, and when the screaming stopped, they didn't find anything but ashes!" Of course, Matsumoto did not reveal it, but in all truth, he was privy to the knowledge of the existence of the Ochimizu and the Rasetsu. All he knew was that they were destroyed in that manor, along with Yukimura Koudou. "You really must remind Chizuru to stay safe at all times."

"Don't worry, Matsumoto-sensei, she is in good hands," Saito reassured the good doctor. As loathe as they were to admit it, Kazama Chikage's lands were most likely the safest haven for Chizuru to be right now. If Kazama had wanted her for his bride, he would never hurt her, and he would most likely keep to his promise that he would protect her, because she had gone with him willingly.

Matsumoto sighed. "It's for the best, I think," he said. Koudou had been his friend, and Chizuru, somewhat of a niece to him. He had Chizuru's best intentions at heart, and was relieved that the Shinsen-Gumi found a good caretaker for her. "Well now, don't let me keep you here. I'm sure that you lot are very busy these days, defending Koufu Castle and whatnot."

The men bowed deeply to Matsumoto and went on their way.

* * *

Chizuru woke up from her dream, and found that it was already evening when she woke up. It was such a strange dream, one where she saw Hijikata, Saito, Souji and Harada, all dressed in Western clothes. In her dream, she saw them at Matsumoto's clinic, and he told Souji that he was getting better, that he would no longer be plagued by tuberculosis. She looked up towards the quickly setting sun and prayed that whatever she had seen in her dream would come true.

It was only when she opened her eyes again did she notice Kazama standing about two feet away from her. "You were sleeping so soundly, it felt wrong to wake you," he said before approaching her. "Amagiri sent news, do you want to hear it?" Chizuru nodded. She had already braced herself for the worst news ever, since leaving Edo. Her heart would be prepared, no matter what he would tell her. "Due to their efforts in protecting Koufu Castle from the advance of the Imperial Army, and the capture of the leader of the Choushu-han, Katsura Kogoro, every member of the Shinsen-Gumi has been elevated to the rank of hatamoto."

Her expression changed from one of troubled hope to one of ecstatic delight. She had not let out a single syllable, but Kazama could clearly see that she was overjoyed with the news. Seconds passed, and suddenly, tears started to fall from her honey-colored eyes. "I'm sorry," she sniffled while she apologized to him. "I'm… I'm just so… happy… They've finally gotten what they fought so hard for…"

Kazama merely smiled, and held her close to him. "They should have warned me that you would resort to tears so easily," he chided her jokingly. For some reason, seeing her so happy, even to the extent that she was driven to tears of joy, lightened his heart. Even if her joy had been directed to other men, his rivals for her heart in every sense of the word, he felt a strange warmth, seeing her cast away the shadow of grief that had been so evident on her person for days since the death of Yukimura Koudou.

Soon, she stopped crying, but continued to remain in his arms. Between the elation of the news that he had brought her, and the sea behind them, she knew that she had never been more at peace, even if it was only for a brief moment. She knew that she could not have this kind of happiness for too long. When even a year had passed, she would have to choose, to remain with Kazama and be the Oni she was, the leader of her own clan, and mistress of his, or to return to the Shinsen-Gumi, as nothing but Chizuru.

"We should go," Kazama told her, after a long while, when the sun had almost started to sink into the horizon. "Obaa-sama will want to talk to you about a great number of things over dinner."

Wordlessly, Chizuru followed him. She did not let go of his hand.

* * *

A week later, Chizuru was once again summoned into the main hall of the Kazama manor. She was dressed in the colors of her clan, white and green, and entered the main hall with her kodachi held above her head. Waiting for her inside was Kazama, in formal attire of gold and burgundy, the colors of the Kazama clan.

It was said that generations and generations ago, before the Battle of Sekigihara which started the Tokugawa Era, the ancestors of the Yukimura and Kazama clans were the greatest of allies. There had been a council that consisted of 10 Oni families then, headed by the Oni princess of Yase. In their generation, both the Yukimura and Kazama clans would be joined soon in matrimony while the princess of Yase was Sen-hime… how the times had changed since then.

Chizuru placed her kodachi on a platform specially made for such a ceremony. Having done so, Kazama stood before her, and asked her, "Yukimura Chizuru, do you swear upon the pain of death, to protect your family, their honor and their lives?"

"I swear," she answered.

With that answer, Kazama made a small cut on her thumb, enough to make blood flow and pressed it onto the lower corner of a piece of parchment which recorded her name, the date of her birth and the position that she was to hold. The wound had healed instantly, and by the time she looked up, Kazama had done the same to himself.

"Yukimura Chizuru, you are now the leader of the Yukimura clan," he said, giving her a seal that bore her family's name. "Of course, your family seal was destroyed. We had to make a new one." Accepting the seal, Chizuru thanked him, and in extension, his entire clan. They had shown her nothing but kindness since she had arrived, and she knew that it was not merely because of her ties to Kazama. "Unfortunately, this will be sent to Yase, where our great mutual acquaintance hails from. From there, there will be a chance that she will know your location, and divulge it, if she pleases to."

Chizuru suddenly understood what he was talking about. Sen-hime was from Yase. Her expression slightly brightened, unable to contain the knowledge that as long as Sen-hime knew where she was, there would always be a possibility that the Shinsen-Gumi could come and retrieve her… "You're not worried about what will follow if Osen-chan knows where I am?" she asked him in utter curiosity, sensing that his manner and expression had not changed at all.

Harrumphing, Kazama lifted her chin. "I would very much like a challenge," he told her. "It is only fair that the best man may win the heart of such a prize." After all, he already knew that it was her choice to make all along. But whether the Shinsen-Gumi could survive the coming storm, and succeed in locating her given the fact that no one, not even Sen-hime and her agents had seen this village before, it was another story altogether.

It had been a gamble ever since he had agreed to delay their wedding. A gamble that he would willingly place his own stakes in. However, he had not meant to lose at all, even to a bunch of recently ennobled peasant samurai.


	16. The Change

A meeting was called in Koufu Castle, where the upper echelons of the Bakufu had convened to determine whether they should continue the fight. Kondou and Hijikata represented the Shinsen-Gumi, as the leaders of the 140 hatamoto newly acquired by the Bakufu, accompanied by Ootori and their mutual accomplice, Enomoto Takeaki, leader of the Bakufu's naval forces. It had been the first war-council that both Kondou and Hijikata would attend, and it surely opened their eyes.

All those in attendance had some form of training in Western techniques, as Ootori had been educated by the Dutch and the English, Enomoto was trained in the heart of Europe itself. Various other scholars and military-men had boasted of such qualifications as well, truly opening their eyes to what talents had been needed to win a war.

"This war cannot continue," said a scholarly official. He was what Ootori had described to Hijikata and Kondou as an economist, which meant that he studied the economy of a nation. "Our national resources are already depleting at an alarming rate. It is our problem when military rations are dwindling to staggering levels, but if this war will cost the people their livelihoods, we will lose their support."

Any ruler, no matter what stand they took, or how they ruled, could not continue their rule without the support of their people. The Tokugawa Bakufu was crumbling for the very reasons why it had been strong and formidable centuries ago. With the wealth of the daimyo all directed towards the Shogun, the peasants and merchants overtaxed and without enough food to feed their families, it was only natural that rebellion occurred. The two wealthiest domains, the Choushu and Satsuma had taken the charge to rise against the rot and corruption, and for a time, it was thought that they could have won. That was until Katsura Kogoro had been captured, and was now held in the dungeons of Edo Castle.

It was there when Hijikata and Kondou realized that they were only the tiniest players in the grand design of the fate of the nation. It was then when they realized that to defend a nation, one must not only rely the strength of arms. It was in the strength of the nation: how much food it had, how much resources it had to support its people, and also the strength of its allies.

"If we stop fighting here, wouldn't the legitimacy of our cause end?" one military official demanded. "We were fighting against the rebels to protect the Bakufu, and now, we are proclaimed as rebels because the Sat-Chou Alliance has the Imperial Brocade Banners! How are we to face our brothers in arms in the afterlife?"

"Soon, there  _won't_  be a war to fight if we all die of hunger!" Ootori replied, agreeing with the economist. "We have captured Katsura Kogoro, and the Imperial Army is sure to want to get him back. We can either surrender him with conditions of peace, or we can fight down to the last man and leave the country in shambles."

"Peace?" another official asked. "It was they who disrupted the peace in the first place!"

"The notion of the peace we had is false," Enomoto said, quelling the din of the arguments spewed forth in the council. "What this nation needs is reform. This cannot be denied. On the other hand, it must be realized that we, as a nation, have the capability to grow strong, even as we are now, but we require a vast amount of talents. They would be wasted if we are allowed to continue killing one another."

Kondou astonished at the general consensus in the council. He knew what Enomoto was implying. He had meant that the war would consume more than just Japan's resources, but also that of its people. But if the war was going to stop, could anyone ensure that the Imperialist forces were going to cooperate with them?

"Kondou-san, Hijikata-kun, what are your views on this?" Ootori asked them, noting their silence ever since the council had started.

"We are the muscles of the Bakufu, we will kill whoever you ask us to, and protect whoever you want us to protect," Hijikata said. He knew that Kondou's concerns were on the fate of the Shinsen-Gumi, but there were also matters that could not be ignored. No matter what stand they took, they were fighting for the people at the end. If the people were suffering so direly, did it even matter which side won?

Those words highly intrigued Enomoto. It showed the volumes of wisdom that Hijikata had possessed, and what he did not mention, had in fact displayed his intentions. Along with the rest of the Shinsen-Gumi, they had been made hatamoto, and was under the direct command of the Bakufu. By reasserting this fact, Hijikata had displayed that the Shinsen-Gumi was willing to continue the fight, but at the same time, they were willing to cast down their swords if need be.

"So what do we do now?" an official asked. "Do we sue for peace, or do we continue fighting?"

It was left to be decided, and the meeting was dismissed for the afternoon, and would continue in the evening. Kondou and Hijikata made immediately for their quarters two floors above.

"Toshi, do you think that stopping the fight would bring any good?" Kondou asked Hijikata, who looked as if he was having a major headache.

"To tell you the truth, I don't really know," Hijikata replied, exhausted from all the thinking he had done throughout the meeting. "However, what I know is that maybe… just being able to fight isn't enough anymore, if we really want to change the fate of our nation." They had come from a poor dojo with a leaky roof to become the foremost peacekeeping unit of Kyoto, and now, they were hatamoto, valued in the war councils of the Bakufu, yet at the same time, Hijikata realized that as time passed, the Shinsen-Gumi could never be as great as they thought they could be, merely because the age of the sword had ended.

It was an age of uncertainty, and an age of turmoil. In that age when the sword was going to be consumed by the times, could they ever find a place in the annals of history? Or would they be remembered to be the first ones who were willing to lay down their arms for a new and better age?

"If you were in the position to make such a call, what would you choose, Toshi?" Kondou asked further.

"In a perfect world like that, Kondou-san, I'd stop the fighting and kill everyone who threaten to disrupt the peace," Hijikata said in a huff. It would be the simplest situation, and ironic way to maintain their way of life, to ensure that they could still at least live with the sword even if the age no longer required such services.

Kondou chuckled. "Toshi, you come up with the most miraculous things," he commented. "Let's hope that something like that happens, so you could at least do what you really want to do." Hijikata had given too much to him, ever since they were just kenjutsu instructors, even until now. He had not put it plainly, but he knew that Hijikata's heart was also far, far away from the fight, somewhere in the lands of the Satsuma-han, hidden from human eyes.

They both retired into their own quarters, and it was then when Hijikata realized that there was a single chrysanthemum at his door. He had seen this before. "The defenses of this castle must be lax indeed if an Oni shinobi can enter so easily," he sounded off. Both Kimigiku and Sen-hime appeared, both bowing to him in greeting.

"We have news about Chizuru," Sen-hime told him. Quickly, he gathered Saito, Souji, Harada, Heisuke and Shinpachi into his room.

"What about Chizuru?" Hijikata asked the two of them once they were all assembled.

Sen-hime placed a piece of parchment in front of them. "Chizuru has been recognized as the leader of the Yukimura clan by the Kazama clan. This means that she is now safely in the hands of the Kazama village."

Relief washed over those that saw the seal of the Yukimura clan, and heard Sen-hime's words. It was the most important three words they had heard since their dual victories at Koufu.

"Do you know where the village is?" Saito asked the two Oni women, who sadly gave negative answers.

"Sadly, we don't," Kimigiku reported. "The Kazama village was relocated in secret shortly before the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. The Kazama clan is most famous for their illusionary defenses, meaning those that had not seen the village itself can never be able to find it."

Sen-hime gauged the expression of their faces, and added, "It's useless to think that you can bring a bunch of soldiers to storm the village. After what happened to the Yukimura clan, all the Oni clans are well-prepared to withstand an attack from humans, no matter the scale."

"So what does this mean for us?" Harada asked. "We don't know where she is, and no one knows how to find her, but we know that she is safe... What do you want us to do about this?"

Although usually the voice of reason, even Harada was frustrated with this bit of information.

"Sanosuke, calm yourself down," Hijikata warned. He cast a sideways glance towards Sen-hime and said, "He is right though, we thank you for the information but…"

"There is nothing we can do unless we know more," Souji interrupted. "But I can't help but to wonder, if Chizuru-chan's clan has been destroyed, what use is there for her to be its leader?"

Sen-hime naturally knew the answer. "It's an Oni formality," she answered. "It is also to cement the fact that Kazama Chikage will be marrying a girl of high birth, as a proclamation to the other Oni clans as well." It was a move that she had expected of Kazama, a move that was needless, but was still a necessity. The Oni clans never fought against one another, but it once again proved that the Kazama was gaining strength, a cheeky way for Kazama to proclaim that Chizuru would be on his side, that he would have her support and she, his.

"However, the Kazama village is always located at the coast of the Satsuma-han's lands, hidden behind a volcanic valley to the south of Kagoshima city," Kimigiku added. "Perhaps this will aid in your search for Yukimura Chizuru."

"We offer our gratitude," Hijikata told Sen-hime and Kimigiku. "You have helped us a great deal."

It looked as if Sen-hime had more to tell them. "There is another thing, Kazama's grandmother, Hana, has decreed that if any of you can break through the Kazama village's defenses, you are free to bring Chizuru back if she chooses." This news had been given to her by Amagiri, under great duress and the use of her authority as Oni nobility, but the Shinsen-Gumi did not need to know this.

She had done all she could to help Chizuru and the Shinsen-Gumi, and whatever fates awaited them, it was all in their hands. "Now, I have to return to Yase," she told them. "Like the Kazama clan, our people needs to be hidden from human eyes as well. I wish you all the best." Having said that, Kimigiku and Sen-hime left, disappearing into the shadows of the castle, leaving it as easily as they had entered.

"Well, at least we know where she roughly is," Souji sighed. "Hijikata-san, what are the higher ups planning to do now?"

"They're undecided if they want to start peace talks or if they want to continue to fight," Hijikata replied. "The problem is…"

"Fukuchou, you must come immediately!" Shimada exclaimed from outside Hijikata's room. There was great urgency in his voice, and it was at that moment when Hijikata knew that something had gone wrong. He rushed out his room with the rest of them, and allowed Shimada a few seconds of respite before he continued. "Saigo Tokumori has assembled eight thousand men marching towards Edo Castle as we speak!"

Saigo Tokumori had been the leader of the Satsuma-han, and was Katsura Kogoro's greatest ally. "When will they reach Edo Castle?" Hijikata asked.

"In three days at most," Shimada answered.

"Hijikata-san, where are you going?" Saito asked Hijikata when Hijikata broke into a run down the stairs nearest to them.

"Someone has to tell the council about this!" Hijikata answered, and made his way towards the room where the war council would convene again. It was bad news, but news that they must all take. If Saigo Tokumori would indeed attempt to take Edo Castle, and they must defend it at all costs.

* * *

"Saigo Takamori plans to attack Edo Castle at full strength," Amagiri told Kazama, having returned from his journey back to Satsuma via land. It was intriguing news indeed, particularly when Amagiri's previous letters had all but confirmed that the Bakufu had suddenly no wish to continue the war due to dwindling resources.

Saigo Takamori was a man that Kazama did not enjoy associating with. Although by no means a man of weak constitution, Saigo had been a man who valued the pretense of strength most of all, making him the most war-like of all the humans Kazama had known. Although the Satsuma-han had appeared to be the allies of the Bakufu in the early days of the conflict, Saigo Takamori had already started secret negotiations with the Choushu-han in order to start a new alliance that was now the Imperial Army. He had fought for the renewed strength of the country, to show the Bakufu that the Satsuma-han was not as weak as it thought they had been, and nothing more.

"You and I know that he doesn't really want Katsura Kogoro back," Kazama replied, taking in a deep breath of his pipe. "He just wants to pressure the Bakufu's armies into total submission to the Imperial Army." Although a capable man, Saigo had no amount of the far sight that the rest of the leaders of the Sat-Chou Alliance had. His interests were only in war and winning it. "With the Bakufu's latest victories, more domains have returned to their fold, along with their agents that are trained in the West. The playing field is still even, no matter what Saigo plans to do."

Amagiri agreed with Kazama to that end. "The Shinsen-Gumi has been switched over to Edo Castle. They will head the defenses there as they had done in Koufu."

"Between ensuring that Katsura Kogoro does not escape and protecting Edo Castle, those peasants must be busy indeed," Kazama mused. "Surely, they are ready to relinquish Chizuru's care to me if they're so eager to lose their lives in battle."

There was no response to Kazama's jeer, because the fates of the Shinsen-Gumi did not concern Amagiri at all. His job, after all, was to do Kazama's bidding, as per the ties between their clans. "I heard that you officiated her ascension as the leader of her clan," Amagiri told him. "On the surface, doing so might seem to be a convenient formality, but everyone knows that you've taken the position of her protector, should anything happen to her, to Yase and the other clans… what compelled you to do it?"

"With the war still running high, it would be impossible for me to bring her to Yase and have Sen-hime to act as her witness," Kazama answered simply, dismissing the implications that Amagiri had surfaced. "We didn't have any choice."

If Kazama had wanted to hide the fact that he was now actively interested in Chizuru's wellbeing, Amagiri had no choice but to keep it unspoken as well. "Well then, I shall return to the borders to see what news I can bring you," he said, getting up from the porch of the Kazama manor's backyard.

"Eh, Amagiri-san, when did you get here?" It was Chizuru, who had arrived with some tea, carried by her handmaiden behind her. Looking at her transform from a troubled girl caught in a war that never really concerned her, to the woman that stood before him as the leader of the Yukimura clan, it brought a slight smile to Amagiri. Kazama had really chosen the perfect woman to be his future wife.

"I was here to deliver some reports to Kazama," he answered. "I will depart into the city for now." He did not say anything else, and left with a polite bow as always.

"Chizuru, come," Kazama beckoned to her gently, indicating that he wished for her to sit next to him whilst acknowledging Sayo's presence as she served them the tea that she had brought. "Amagiri told me that the Shinsen-Gumi has been transferred to Edo Castle," he said, and then paused. "An unexpected storm has come to Edo. Saigo Takamori is bringing a force of 8000 soldiers to bring down the last remnants of the Bakufu. If he wins this battle, then it will be total victory for the Imperial Army."

Chizuru's complexion paled. She had heard from Kazama that with the victories of the Bakufu at Koufu, most of the Bakufu's servants had returned to Edo, and now that Saigo Takamori was to attack the city… A sudden chill ran down her spine, but stopped when Kazama gave her head a slight pat.

"You do not have to fear so much, my future bride," he told her. "With the forces of the Aizu-han, and the combined strength of the likes of agents like Ootori Keisuke and Enomoto Takeaki, the Bakufu has at least the same amount of men and some extra weapons to go through the battle with. A pessimistic view would be that both the Imperial Army and the Bakufu are at a level ground now."

At the very least, Chizuru was comforted that the challenge before the Shinsen-Gumi was not too great. "What about the Shinsen-Gumi?" she asked him. "What are they going to do about this?"

"Their orders are to stay the headliners of the battle, as they have been in Koufu," Kazama answered. Those words were enough to tell her that the last stand of the Shinsen-Gumi would be made at Edo Castle, for better or for worse. He had nothing else to tell her, and watch her hold her scalding cup of green tea in her small hands even as her thoughts drifted towards them. By the time she spoke again, the tea had already cooled, but her hands had gotten as red as the setting sun.

"I wish to see them again," she told him, as he removed the cup from her hands, and took her hands in his as they speedily recovered, becoming cool and fair again. She knew that it was a fruitless request, but she felt that if she had wished harder and prayed louder, they would just appear before her eyes…

"If you mean anything to them, Chizuru, they will fight to the very last recesses of their strength to ensure that they survive long enough to see you again," Kazama responded, once again uttering words that she never imagined that he would say. "Doubtless, even I would do the same if I was in their place."

Now, all she could do was to wait. She could only wait for the news of their fate, whether they were to be consumed and eradicated by the coming of the new age, or if they would emerge its victors.

 


	17. The Battle of Edo Castle

The Shinsen-Gumi had never been within the walls of Edo Castle before. It was more than a castle; it was an actual fortress, complete with countless mansions to house the daimyo that served the Shogun, their families, and of course, the Shogun's families as well. There were six citadels surrounded by a high outer wall, which circumference measured anywhere between six to ten miles.

It took them hours to complete a single round of the castle, and at that moment, they realized that their task as the leaders of the defense of the castle was no easy feat. They would have to familiarize themselves with every single nook and cranny of the castle within hours, discover its weaknesses in order to protect them, and its strength to exploit them. Every single man in the Shinsen-Gumi knew that they had their work cut out for them, a challenge more difficult than they had ever faced.

"The evacuation of the city has already been commanded by Ootori-san and Enomoto-san," Shimada reported to Kondou and Hijikata. "Everyone unable to bear arms has already been sent north to domains still loyal to the Bakufu." It was a sign that the Bakufu still had its people's interests in their hearts, in view of the rising number of civilian casualties as the conflict between the servants of the Bakufu and the Imperial Army dragged on.

"As of now, our forces stand to be around the latter part of 7000, while Saigo Takamori's is numbered at 8000," Yamazaki added to the report. "He will arrive by sunrise in two days."

Sunrise… It seemed that even the Imperial Army had the capacity to learn from their mistakes. During the Second Battle of Koshu-Katsunuma, Katsura Kogoro had made the wrong choice of starting the battle at sundown, enabling the Shinsen-Gumi to deploy what remained of their Rasetsu Corps into the battlefield, causing much loss and havoc in the ranks of the Imperial Army, and enabling his capture. Saigo Takamori was surely not going to repeat this error ever again.

"Well, we'd better start our work if we're really going to win this," Hijikata said, trying to be optimistic. It was one thing defending a keep like Koufu Castle, and completely another defending one such as Edo Castle. They had everything to lose at Koufu, but now, there was precious cargo in Edo Castle.

A map was given to the Shinsen-Gumi by Ootori's agents, a map that provided every single detail regarding the castle, one that displayed every wall, every door and every passage within the castle. Hijikata and Sannan (who volunteered to join their duties in daylight) studied it and learned as much as they could by heart.

"Seven thousand is not enough to man a castle of this magnitude," Sannan sighed, cleaning his glasses with the edge of his vest. "But we must make do with what we have, mustn't we?" He looked at the map and realized that the castle's stone walls were stronger than that of the ones in Koufu, naturally, and would be able to take heavier cannon fire.

"He is not interested in the castle," Kondou said, furrowing his brow as he looked at the map. "He wants the people inside… we wants us to surrender."

"We're not surrendering without a fight," Hijikata emphasized. With the amounts of artillery they had, it was nigh impossible to rain cannon-fire upon the enemy as they had done before. Edo Castle was too wide and too huge for such a stratagem, and they now knew that the coming battle would be fought on foot. It would be fought soldier against soldier… Memories from the Battle of Toba-Fushimi came into mind, and they were not pretty at all. "How many guns do we have?"

Saito was the one who gave the answer, having looked into the armory stores in the castle. "We have enough guns to arm each of our men here, but not the ammunition," he said in a grave voice. "We would have to revert to using traditional weapons in three hours if we use every shot. The accuracy of such weapons is not guaranteed."

The British guns that they had faced were more than deadly because one in every two shots fired would hit their mark, the French ones that they had with them had been untested, and the traditional ones they had were not worth mentioning in the battlefield.

"What about our artillery?" Kondou asked.

"Brunet-san stated that we would have around twenty pieces of artillery from Koufu Castle," Shinpachi replied. "Any more than that, we're on our own." He pointed towards the store where the artillery had been transported to. "The French soldiers said that those were only good for tearing down walls, not ranks of men."

A silence fell amongst the commanders of the Shinsen-Gumi. In all actual fact, they had faced Western guns that could indeed be used to tear down ranks of men. They were known as Gatling guns, and were banned by teams of three. A single crank of that gun would bring forth streams of bullets enough to bring down an entire formation…

"Send me to cut down the gunners," Souji volunteered. His voice was strong, resolute. This was Souji that was already to do the dirtiest work that the Shinsen-Gumi had to do, Souji that volunteered to be their sword. "If they don't have the men to operate those guns, they can't kill us all before we get to face them man to man."

Hijikata regarded Souji, and knew that there was no way he could actually persuade him to find other ventures. Without even putting up a fight, he relented, and gave him a copy of the map that they were using, a smaller, less detailed version, but one that would benefit Souji's venture greatly. "Have this memorized quickly if you want to do a good job at it," he replied gruffly. "Make sure that you don't die. No one will forgive you if you do."

Souji's smile curled into something that made him look more like a cat than anything. "Don't worry, I won't," he reassured Hijikata.

"Fukuchou, my men and I will cover Souji," Harada said. Always he had added as the vanguard, and it was where he would feel the most at ease, not for his own sake, but for the sake of those in front that he was protecting. "Someone's going have to make sure that too much doesn't get into that crazy head of his, especially when he's just got back into the fighting."

"You're here just to steal my limelight, Sano-san," Souji joked, while giving a grateful nod towards Harada.

"Hey, what about me?" Heisuke demanded, barging into the room. "I want to join in too!"

"You should stay in bed, ahou," Hijikata admonished, sensing that it was Heisuke that he was lecturing now, and not Souji. "The battle's not taking place at night." Seconds later, he gave up. None of them would ever let him live it down for causing them to miss out on perhaps the most important battle in their lives. "Fine, suit yourself."

* * *

In three hours, it had been finalized that the Shinsen-Gumi's 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 8th Divisions would be bolstered by the Rasetsu Corps, and would stand at the front lines of the Bakufu's foot-soldiers. The 1st and 10th Divisions would be tasked to hide in the shadows, and destroy any battery position possible, without wearing the colors of the Shinsen-Gumi. The rest of them would be scattered amongst the other ranks of the Bakufu's army, playing support roles.

Before long, all 140 members of the Shinsen-Gumi were assembled in the compound nearest to where its commanders had been housed for the time being, and the red makoto banners were brought out, blowing wildly in the wind.

"We have come a long way since we set out from Edo as the Mibu Roshi-Gumi," Kondou told the men in his mandatory speech. "I, Kondou Isami, have been blessed to call all of you brothers in arms. As you all might have guessed, this is most likely the last battle for any of us. The new age will be decided here, at Edo Castle. All I ask for you is that you hold on to whatever bonds you have to the man next to you, and fight with what you have in you. Can you do that?"

Affirmative shouts rang through the ranks of the Shinsen-Gumi. Kondou's speech had been short and sweet, and following that, Hijikata took point and began going through the various assignments they had for their men. They took their duties seriously, and although there were many paled looks, they steeled their nerves and decided to continue to fight, because it was what they had been waiting for all this while, what they had joined the Shinsen-Gumi for, to serve in something bigger than themselves, to prove that even in the age when the might of the sword was dying, there were still those who held true to who they were, and simply fools who did not know when and how to die.

At dawn, two days hence, they would all meet their end together, or they would meet a new beginning with one another.

* * *

Saigo Takamori regarded Edo Castle at the horizon on the top of his horse and looked back towards his men. What stood before them was the symbol of oppression that was the rule of the Tokugawa Bakufu. What stood before them was not the presumed might of the Bakufu, but the corruption of a nation's wealth. Bountiful resources of their respective domains were surrendered to only one man, so that he would live in relative safety, while the rest of them suffered in the countryside, to live without pride. Too many a good, proud man had stooped low just to feed himself, too many a good soul had been wasted due to the rigid, stagnant laws of a martial age long disappeared into the mists of history. His mission that day was to tear down the very symbol of that oppression, greed and power. He would take Edo Castle and he would serve the head of Tokugawa Yoshinobu to the young Emperor Meiji on a golden platter.

"Do you know what lies before us, soldier?" he asked the soldier next to him, a boy from Okinawa who had told him the night previous that he joined the Imperial Army just because it paid him better to fight than to remain the apprentice of an incense-maker. The boy shook his head. "It is the past of our nation. A dark shadow that must be vanquished if we are to advance as a new country. The Bakufu must be made to realize that it cannot forever rest on its laurels, that it is now too weak and feeble to lead Japan as we know it. It is the new government, now headed by our gracious and prodigious Emperor Meiji, which will bring our beloved motherland to a new age!"

There was a loud chorus of agreement from the ranks of his men, and he reared his horse at the height of the chorus. Orders were placed to unfurl the Imperial Brocade Banners, images that once stunned the soldiers of the Bakufu so much that they found no will to fight during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. No one in Japan dared to go against the authority of the Emperor, and all that stood before them, those who dared to raise arms against them would be named criminals against the Imperial Army. They were rebels and nothing more.

* * *

At the Kazama village, Kazama Chikage sat at the main hall of his family's manor and told Chizuru, "If Saigo Takamori is a smart man, he will attack Edo Castle from the southern gates, where it is weakest, and if your peasant samurai are wise, they will place their greatest defenses there." Holding her hand, Kazama showed her sections of the ramparts that guarded Edo Castle that were the thinnest. He could only show her images that he had seen before, and not the current battle, because he had only been once to Edo Castle. "The British guns that he has with him will do short work of the walls, and his men would be able to storm into the castle with ease."

Chizuru was silent, but her unease was apparent. "What else do you predict?" she asked him. There was no doubt that Kazama had been a student of warfare. He was a clan leader that took a martial stand in the defense of his people, a warrior that his clan had sent to fulfill their debt to Satsuma-han, and one that was always deployed at opportune moments to protect the agents of the Sat-Chou Alliance.

"That if somehow the Bakufu's armies are able to destroy Saigo's British guns before they reach the inner walls of Edo Castle, the battle will revert to one of swords," Kazama answered. "Such a thing is quite… possible." He then showed her the image of a Gatling gun being fired. "These monsters can only fire at one angle at a time, and if one was to cut it down, one has to be fast enough…"

"Okita-san is the fastest fighter in the Shinsen-Gumi," Chizuru suggested, and Kazama displayed the duel between him and Souji during the Ikedaya Affair. Doubtless, where Kazama had strength and power, Souji possessed speed and refinement of technique.

Kazama harrumphed. "You would be better off praying that nothing untoward happens to him," he told her. "Even if he is in a condition to fight at all."

"I trust that he will do everything necessary to help," Chizuru countered. "All of them would…"

* * *

No one knew who fired the first shot at Edo Castle, but all remembered that the first one who fell was a soldier from the Imperial Army. As he slumped onto the floor, the wide-brimmed hat that sat on the top of his head revealed the face of a young boy, eyes open, wide with shock. He had not meant to die so soon.

Knowing that the southern walls of Edo Castle were the weakest, Saigo Takamori had positioned two Howitzers, monstrous things that rested on thin wheels, and started to fire upon them. It was not yet dawn, but the sun was already creeping up Mt. Fuji that was in sight of the castle.

It was in that darkness that shadows started to emerge from a hidden section of the wall, an opening too small to be observed with the lack of light. The shadows were armed, dressed in the black of the night, and moved with such immense speed that the men manning the guns were too shocked to move. Within seconds, their heads rolled to the ground while their torsos lay three feet away.

The officers of that position watched in awe as the shadows revealed themselves to be actually men dressed in black, armed with only weapons of Japan's rich, ancient past. The man who cut down the gunners was a strapping lad in his mid-20s, auburn-haired and emerald-eyed. "Okita Souji of the 1st Division of the Shinsen-Gumi at your service," the man greeted before proceeding to stab the officer nearest to him in the abdomen while the men that followed him started to disarm the Howitzer.

"Souji, stop playing around!" Harada shouted towards Souji. "They're many more guns for us to destroy!"

Souji smiled and returned, "Hai, hai, let's keep going, then."

From ramparts of the main structure in the center of the castle, Ootori watched in awe as the first Howitzer fell, saving the southern wall from destruction. "Your men are suicide artists," he said to Kondou, who meekly smiled at that comment. The Oni-Fukuchou of the Shinsen-Gumi took it as a compliment. With his telescope, he watched Souji brave the fire of a Gatling gun, realizing that he was only drawing the fire of the weapon, so that Harada could creep behind the gunners to kill them. "Where have you learned such stratagems?"

"When you've been dodging bullets and cannon-balls long enough, you'll learn where they can't fire at you," Kondou answered, quoting Hijikata. If the Imperial Army could learn from experience, so could they of the Bakufu.

* * *

"If their artillery fails them, the Imperial Army will at least tear down one gate or two with battering rams," Kazama continued, showing Chizuru the great gates that formed the defenses of Edo Castle. The gates were lined with ramparts that could be garrisoned with gunmen. "With the thinness of the Bakufu's ranks, the first few gates will be opened easily."

Chizuru saw images of a few southern gates being opened, leading to a vast open space, where the western keep lied. "The denizens of this keep would have been most likely evacuated to the main living quarters of the Shogun in the center of the castle, and this will be where the main force of the Bakufu's armies will meet that of the Imperial Army," Kazama continued.

* * *

Shinpachi, Saito, Heisuke and Sannan were waiting for the advances of the Imperial Army since the southern gates had been opened one by one. Behind them where five thousand men, ready to fight to their deaths. "Stay your ground!" Sannan shouted towards the men as the gate before them quivered. "Kill whatever comes through that gate and immortality will be yours!"

The four of them readied themselves, entering their respective battle-stances. By now, Harada and Souji would have destroyed most of the Imperial Army's artillery, and Saigo Takamori would have no choice but to lead the advance using the old way.

"Gunmen at the ready," Saito ordered when gate began to crack.

"Aim…" Heisuke barked.

The first few Imperial soldiers were now through. They could not waste their shots now. Soon, a few lines of men became entire rows, and the formation was soon visible.

"Fire!" Shinpachi instructed, and was actually amused that they managed to hit their targets. With still a great distance between their men and the Imperial soldiers, they could manage a few more volleys of gunfire.

Seven shots on, their guns were now useless, but at least about two hundred Imperial Army soldiers, all gunmen at the front had perished. It age of the gun was now coming, but still, it was not the time for such a fight to be fought at Edo Castle. Those that filed from behind quickly raised their sabers, a sight that made even Sannan smirk in confidence.

"Swords… swords!" Sannan demanded, and the katana of the Bakufu's soldiers were unsheathed, all of them gleaming in the sunlight.

* * *

"It is at this moment when the British-manned Imperial Navy will try to sneak into Edo Bay," Kazama told Chizuru, showing her a view of the castle from Edo Bay, where great iron-clad ships bearing the flags of the British nation as well as that of the Imperialist domains sail towards the line of ships that formed around its deep moats. "If the Bakufu is clever, then it will position its ships to defend that it on the water as well."

* * *

Enomoto Takeaki stood at the helm of his flagship, the Kaiten and watched as the Koutetsu approach its sights. They had known for a long time that the Imperialists would send their navy along to launch a surprise bombardment upon Edo Castle while their heads were turned trying to meet Saigo Takamori's army in combat. Although outgunned by its Imperial counterpart, the Kaiten had a special weapon: the warriors of the Shinsen-Gumi. Using small boats, Hijikata Toshizou led a portion of the Shinsen-Gumi to flank the huge Kotetsu, and started to kill everyone on the deck, cutting down the Gatling guns of the enemy vessel, supported by French-trained snipers aboard the Kaiten.

"Hmph, if Souji could do this so easily, there's no reason that I can't too," Hijikata commented under his breath as he waited for his men to draw the fire of the Gatling guns while he crept up from the opposite side, slashing the gunner from neck to chest, killing him instantly.

* * *

"At the end of the day, victory still lies with those who possess the will to fight on, no matter what is before him," Kazama told Chizuru, sighing as the images disappeared. "That is all I can tell you of the battle."

She thanked him profusely, at least knowing that the Shinsen-Gumi were treading on a one-way path to certain death.

* * *

"They just won't stop coming, won't they?" Shinpachi asked Heisuke. The two of them were standing back-to-back, engaging the Imperial soldiers in sword-combat while dodging bullets at the same time. "Who knew that a bunch of men could even multiply at this speed?"

Heisuke would have laughed at that terrible joke, but there was simply no time. "Shinpat-san, less talking, more fighting!" he yelled at Shinpachi, who effectively dodged the swing of an Imperial soldier's saber and kicked him in the chest.

"Yare, yare, it seems that even with all the tricks in our sleeve, we're still at a slight disadvantage," Sannan observed. They had wasted too many fighters on secondary missions all around the castle, and have quite neglected to bolster their main fighting position at the western part of the castle.

"We fight to the last man, no matter what happens," Saito muttered, easily beheading two Imperial soldiers with a swift left-handed arc of his katana.

* * *

It was impossible. Saigo Takamori had thought that victory would have been his by midday. It was now at least in the late afternoon, and still victory could not be decided on any side. He had not known how the Bakufu's agents managed to anticipate his every move, but they had, and now he was paying the price. He knew that he was saved for the sole reason that the men of the Bakufu were outgunned, and were still fighting with swords and spears.

Using his telescope to view the surrounding area, he realized that there was a familiar presence up on the ramparts of the main gate of the castle. Dressed in beige robes, bound and gagged was Katsura Kogoro, nothing but a shadow of the man he was. "Saigo Takamori, do not forget we still have your dear compatriot, Katsura Kogoro!" Hijikata warned him. The man had destroyed the armaments of the Kotetsu, returning to the castle in victory… Saigo Takamori had done wrong to underestimate him.

The men of the Choushu-han numbered half of the Imperial Army, and upon discovering the presence of their leader, they stopped fighting altogether, looking up at Hijikata in awe and fear for Katsura's life.

"What are your terms?" Saigo asked Hijikata. He knew that it was folly to sacrifice Katsura's life in exchange for victory. He would forever be remembered as a traitor to the Choushu-han, and would most likely be prosecuted as a criminal. He was not ready to die, not when his great work was unfinished.

Hijikata smirked. "Lay down your arms, and we will discuss our terms," he replied coolly. He knew that at any time, some fool from the Imperial Army would try to sneak up on him, kill him and try to retrieve Katsura from the seas of Bakufu soldiers, but somehow he judged that they were not so foolish to try a stunt like that.  _They_  of the Bakufu would, but not the Imperialists.

Katsura did not speak, his turquoise eyes looking towards his men beneath the walls. They were all calling out to him, and they had already dropped their weapons, either in shock or in obeisance to Hijikata's demands. If this was a battle of wills, then they had already lost, but in actual fact, this battle would not have a decisive victor or loser.

Saigo Takamori had no choice. He threw his rifle aside and thrust his katana into the ground with a mighty shout. The rest of his men did the same.

The Battle of Edo Castle had no victor. It ended on mutual agreement. It was a draw.

The new age had finally come.

 


	18. The New Age

It was a result that no one had expected. A draw between the Imperial forces and the Bakufu's agents. Without utter supremacy gained by either side, there was only one way down the road. Both sides would have to cooperate and bring a new era, a time of reform, and a government which would actually place the importance of its people before all else.

The rebuilding of a nation would take time, and with the agreement of peace, the war was officially ended. In the night that had followed, the sounds emitted from gunpowder was not cannon-fire, but the claps and bangs of fireworks. The Bakumatsu had finally ended. The new age of the Meiji had begun.

"Perhaps I have you to thank for drawing me out of the dungeons," Katsura Kogro told Hijikata when he was ready to leave Edo Castle, not as a criminal, not as a revolutionary, but like so many men that had fought there in that battle, a man who was willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of his country. He did not claim to be anyone of great importance, but he was relieved to see his own men cast down their arms when Hijikata had threatened to kill him if they continued fighting. "Once again, you have taken everyone by surprise, Hijikata Toshizou."

Hijikata had to admit, it was not something that he had planned. During the chaos and confusion that was the Battle of Edo Castle, he had realized that such infighting between countrymen was useless. As they had discussed in the war council meeting before Saigo Takamori attacked Edo Castle, he begun to see how much of a waste of life, money and time it was, and at the same time, his people had been graced with great talent on both sides of the conflict. In a certain show of momentarily brilliance, he took to one of the castle's secret passageways and brought Katsura out of his cell, gambling on the fact that he could be used as a bargaining chip…

"Quite frankly, I didn't think that it would amount to anything," he admitted, looking at the men around them. There were Imperial soldiers and men bearing the various uniforms of the Bakufu's forces working together to repair the damage done to the castle. It was a sight that he would not have imagined that he could have lived to witness.

With a gentle smile, Katsura said, "But it seemed to have changed the world, Hijikata. The world will remember the courage of the Shinsen-Gumi and the genius of its leaders, mark my words." They soon parted ways, for there was still a lot of work to be done, and privately, Katsura no longer had the stomach to remain in Edo Castle, not because he had been mistreated there during his imprisonment, but because he would rather the company of familiar faces.

Thus, Hijikata walked back towards where most of the Bakufu's agents were, in a courtyard where they had stopped from their large amounts of work, just to realize the sheer implications of what they had achieved there in the castle. With the war ended, people began to flock back into the city. Edo was no longer a war-zone, and so was the rest of their country.

"What will the Shinsen-Gumi do now?" Enomoto Takeaki asked Kondou and Hijikata. "If you wish, you would have high and exalted positions in the military…"

Both Kondou and Hijikata smiled. Those were the expressions of men who had realized their goals, men who did not know what to do with the future, because they did not expect that they would survive the present. "I would gladly like to serve, but my men… they have another venture coming along."

Enomoto raised an eyebrow. "Surely, you have achieved all that you set out to achieve since your days in Mibu?" he asked them further. "What more do you seek?"

"We left a very important person behind," Hijikata answered. "We won't start anything new unless we have her back." At those words, Enomoto chuckled. There was no need to explain. War separated not only nations, but also families, friends, and also lovers. Hijikata was a capable and strong warrior, there was no doubt that there was a lovely maiden waiting for him somewhere back home, perhaps even droves of them.

"So, Hijikata-kun, you really have a young and pretty wife waiting for you?" Ootori teased Hijikata, whose brows were now furrowed, joined in a frown that seemed to be permanently there.

"No, no, Ootori-san," Kondou explained with a big, hearty laugh. "She's not his wife yet. But if he decides to take his time, she's just as well gone!"

"Kondou-san…" Hijikata opened his mouth to rebuke Kondou, but no sound come out at all. Even if Kondou had not implied anything about Kazama, he would most likely have known that he had rivals for Chizuru's heart even in the Shinsen-Gumi itself.

"No matter what it is, I am sure that there will be certainly a spot for you here when you return," Enomoto reassured the both of them. "Your organization has toiled for the cause for five years. All of you deserve a long holiday indeed."

Kondou smiled sheepishly. "We don't even know who we're working for now," he announced, a clear sign of the first of the confusions that would break through their country.

"You serve the people," Ootori said with all seriousness. "With what's been decided, it's most likely that the Shinsen-Gumi would be some sort of a police force, like what you've been doing in Kyoto. But, of course, that can be arranged when you decide to come back."

"What if we don't decide to come back?" Hijikata threatened jokingly, knowing that he could never beat a bunch of jokers by playing a strict game.

"We shall have to hunt you down to the ends of the earth and make you come back," Ootori replied with mock seriousness. "The Shinsen-Gumi knows too many government secrets as it stands."

* * *

Chizuru was reading at the beach when her handmaiden, Sayo called her. "Chizuru-sama, your presence is requested in the main hall," Sayo told her.

Chizuru blinked her large, brown eyes. No one had told her that there was anything important that was going on that day. What could it be? But then again, she knew that there was no reason for her not to head to the main hall immediately, because there was nothing else that she would rather do.

Upon reentering the village, Chizuru brushed her sandals in the grass to remove any remaining traces of sand and quickly found her way into the Kazama manor. There, Kazama was already waiting for her at the entrance. "Amagiri has returned with news of particular importance," he explained to her, ushering her into the main hall. "News you would find most intriguing indeed."

When they arrived at the main hall, Chizuru bowed deeply in greeting to the Kazama clan elders, and was given a seat between Hana and Kazama. Amagiri Kyuujuu was there with an older-looking Oni that was his brother, the leader of the Amagiri clan, accompanied by Shiranui Kyo and his uncle, the head of the Shiranui clan.

Assembled there that day were the most powerful Oni clans of the western territories of Japan, of course, headed by Kazama Chikage. The leaders of both Amagiri and Shiranui clans took their turns to offer their formal greetings to Chizuru before they started the meeting, congratulating both Kazama and her for their betrothal.

"The war has ended," Amagiri Kyuujuu relayed to all that was present. His voice was grave, his tone serious, and his eyes traveled to Chizuru. Chizuru felt as if the very air in her being had been sucked out of her with the news, she did not know how to react, not when she did not know what happened to the Shinsen-Gumi. Did Kazama not tell her that they were to be the headliners for the Battle of Edo? "The Imperial Army decided to stop their advance towards Edo Castle in exchange for Katsura Kogoro's life. It was a draw."

"A draw?" Hana asked Amagiri. "What does this bode for the humans, then? What would they gain if they do not continue to fight?"

Kazama had the answer, unsurprisingly. "It's most probably the lack of resources to continue with the war," he said in a disinterested manner, as per usual. Ruby eyes were cast onto Chizuru, and then his grandmother. "That, and the growing impatience of the British and French nations. They want to see their investments returned."

Amagiri confirmed Kazama's suspicions, which rather surprised Chizuru. She knew that Kazama was proficient in the politics of Japan, despite his low opinions of the humans, but she did not know that he had a hand in foreign affairs at all. "It would seem that the British and French both want the fighting to stop in order to begin trade with our country. What they are eyeing, I cannot precisely say."

"What about the Shinsen-Gumi?" Chizuru asked Amagiri, not caring of what the rest might think of her. As the former page of the commanders of the Shinsen-Gumi, she had every right to know.

"They are safe, Yukimura-san," Amagiri answered. "Of 140 members of the Shinsen-Gumi, there were miraculously no casualties. However, what role they are to play in the nation's future is unknown."

With those words, Chizuru looked as if she was going to faint. Relief, overflowing relief washed through her mind and soul, and as she took the deepest breath ever, she felt Kazama's strong arm supporting her. He did not speak, nor look at her, but focused his attention on what was currently going on.

"Our greater concern lies with whether the Sat-Chou Alliance is willing to let us lie low," Amagiri's brother said. "Now that they know the strength of our people, I fear that they will seek us out if they start another war." Like Amagiri, he was tall, well-built, and stern. However, his voice was not as deep as Amagiri's, and his coloring was a little fairer.

The Oni were a peace-loving race, and cared little for the conflicts of humans. It was for this precise reason why Kazama had endeavored so much to keep his village protected. "We have given them the services of three of our best warriors," Hana replied. "There is nothing more for them to ask of us." When the agents of the Sat-Chou Alliance had approached the Kazama village years ago, she had been unwilling to allow her grandson and the heir of their clan to fight for them, but they had used the greatest trump card against them, reminding them that their ancestors had owed them a debt for hiding and protecting their people from the new masters of the age, the Tokugawa Bakufu. Oni debts were all repaid, and thus, Kazama, Amagiri and Shiranui were sent to fight; Kazama and Amagiri under the Satsuma-han, and Shiranui for the Choushu-han.

"Even as we speak, the other Oni clans are hiding their people," Kazama told Amagiri's brother. "They will not be able to find our villages without extreme difficulty."

Unlike the rest of the Oni villages, the Kazama village was located by the coast, in a valley. With the Satsuma-han's vast plains situated between volcanic mountains, there was no escape for them, but only to hide their village using Oni gifts of illusion, maintained by the scions of the clan. Chizuru did not know how exactly those defenses were operated, but Kazama had once told her that a human looking at their village would only see a green meadow…

"Still, I would feel greater confidence with a more… enduring solution," Shiranui's uncle said. "Perhaps a fair warning to the humans?"

"What you are planning will bring another calamity to our people," Hana admonished the Shiranui clan-leader. "Has the fate of poor Chizuru and her family been any lesson to such folly?"

Shiranui's uncle kept his silence, following what Hana had said. It was then when Chizuru realized that the Oni were no different than the humans. They were trying to make sense of the changing world around them, and because they lived longer lives than the humans did, time moved at a different pace for them. The human's world was changing so rapidly that even the Oni clans were unsure of their next course of action.

"What does Yukimura have to say about this?" Amagiri's brother asked. "You have lived among the humans for a long while, what do you think they would do?"

All eyes fell upon Chizuru, much to her silent shock. All her life, she had never been any part of any big decision, and now, all of a sudden, her opinion was valued… She was not prepared to say anything, much less present her views… "I would trust the humans," she told them, slowly gaining confidence.

"And your reasons to your decision?" Shiranui's uncle quizzed her. He seemed… intrigued by her response, if not surprised.

"They've just ended a war, I believe that they have greater concerns like stabilizing the economy and reestablishing order before they're free to come after a few Oni villages…" she said. If what they had all said before was true, then the Japanese government would be in utter chaos even if the fighting was ending. There was far too much work to be done… far too many loose ends to tie.

A silence fell, and Hana smiled. There was no mistake that young Yukimura Chizuru was slowly blossoming into a fine Oni leader. The girl had always a spark of iron will, a fire burning within her that she herself did not know existed. Now, with the addition of being torn away from her protectors, and the subtle guidance of her grandson, she was becoming a woman that she was always destined to be, finally finding her footing in the chaotic world around her.

"The girl has a point," Shiranui whistled. "Besides, who wants to deal with those pesky humans ever since that big mess they've made?"

"You would be surprised," Kazama muttered underneath his breath, fixing his gaze on Chizuru and gave her a sly wink. She looked away angrily, causing Shiranui to laugh at their antics.

"The two of you are just too cute to remain betrothed!" he commented, causing Chizuru to blush yet again. Doubtless, his uncle berated him for plunging the decorum of the meeting to great lows, but it was obvious that Shiranui showed no regrets.

Hana cleared her throat, and once again silence reigned. "Then we shall leave the humans to their own devices," she concluded, clearly agreeing with what Chizuru had said and ignoring the mischief of the young ones with them. "Come now, I've prepared some tea and snacks for all of us in the next room, shall we adjourn there now?"

* * *

For the first time in his life, Hijikata knew not what to do next. The Shinsen-Gumi had been given an extended period of leave, right up to the coming of the New Year. Of course, he knew that he coincided with the date of Chizuru's wedding with Kazama, and naturally, he would do everything to prevent it, but he did not know how to start.

Once again, the Shinsen-Gumi were relocated, this time, to a manor roughly the size of their quarters at the Nishi Hongan-ji in Kyoto, courtesy of Ootori's praises towards them. It had not been too difficult to them, they were used to being blown by the wind, but knowing that there was a full day before him where  _nothing_  was needed to be completed with utter urgency, it… scared him.

The doors to his room opened, and in came Souji. "Hijikata-san, what are you doing in here all afternoon?" he asked Hijikata, as if his presence in own room was the most incomprehensible thing ever. "You do realize that there's  _no work_  to be done, right?"

"Get lost, Souji," Hijikata growled. He did not want to deal with Souji's mischief now, particularly when he had to  _think_.

"Sadly, I'm here to tell you that we're not really done yet," Souji replied. "The others want to know what you're planning about retrieving our adorable little ward that ran away with the Oni. They're worried that you've given up the search…"

Without having Souji to utter another word, Hijikata rose and went with Souji. Heisuke, Saito, Harada and Shinpachi were waiting for them in the common room, along with Yamazaki and Shimada. Kondou had been out celebrating with several Bakufu big wigs in a private function at Ootori's Edo residence.

"Fukuchou, when are we going to begin to look for Yukimura?" Saito asked. Although it would seem that he had been the most distant with Chizuru, it could not be denied that he obviously cared for the girl, and Chizuru had held him in great esteem.

Hijikata sighed. "I would like to know how we're going to do it," he said. For the first time in his life, he had not one single answer, and it clearly frustrated him.

"Since Kazama's lands are in the lands of the Satsuma-han, would it be wise to start there?" Yamazaki suggested. The Satsuma-han was not known for its size, but its wealth. It was the second richest domain in Japan, rich in agricultural products, which meant that it was a land of farms and plantations. An open land, without the cover of great mountains and forests.

"Are we even allowed in Satsuma lands?" Heisuke asked. He had a point. They were agents of the Bakufu, and were hence, enemies of the Satsuma-han.

"We'll just go in with aliases," Harada answered. "No one really knows what we look like, right?"

"But how are we going to get there?" Shinpachi added to the lists of questions. "Satsuma is not a short distance away from Edo…" If they had the money, then they would be able to cross the distance by the sea, but if they did not, then they would have to trek though the countryside for at least three weeks on fit.

Hijikata fell silent, not because he did not have anything to say, but because he was collating all the information that they had gained. "We'll take this one step at a time then," he concluded. "We'll just concentrate on getting there, and once we're there in Satsuma, we'll figure out a way to find her."

Even before leaving, there would be a great many things to prepare. Food, clothes, finances, travelling permits and ways of communication. Plans were needed to be made, and once again, Hijikata found something to be busy with. It would take them at least a few weeks before they were ready to travel the great distance between Edo and Kagoshima, the city nearest to Kazama's lands according to Sen-hime, if her counsel could be trusted at all.

They had made a promise to Chizuru. They would see her again, in Kazama's lands after the fighting had ended, and they would bring her back no matter what. It was a promise that all of them intended to realize, a promise that they had to fulfill, because they were determined to prove that arrogant Oni that they too, had the ability to protect her, because they realized that for whatever reason, her presence in their lives was something that they can no longer live without.


	19. The First Step

When all the preparations had been made, the men of the Shinsen-Gumi were ready to set out towards the Kazama village. With the help of their allies in the newly forming new government, namely Ootori Keisuke and Enomoto Takeaki, and a few well-placed signatures from Katsura Kogoro, they were able to secure travelling passes to head towards the heartlands of the Satsuma-han, a sign that the Sat-Chou Alliance were willing to let bygones be bygones in this new age of peace.

The day of their departure from Edo soon came, and at dawn, Hijikata, Souji, Saito, Heisuke, Harada and Shinpachi each emerged from their quarters, well prepared for their three week-long journey towards the south-western lands of Japan through land and some amount of sea. It was a journey of their lifetime, one that few had the opportunities to embark in, because of the old domain-based system, where physical mobility had been strictly forbidden.

Just as they were about to set out, they were graced by the presence of Sen-hime, who came with not only words of counsel, but also more documents that would ease their passage through probable Oni lands during their journey. "Take these with you," Sen-hime told Hijikata as she came to join Kondou, Sannan and Shimada in bidding them farewell on their journey towards the Satsuma-han. The Oni princess had passed him a few pieces of paper bearing her seal. "There are many eyes and ears on the road, and once they see these papers, they will know that you have the recognition of my clan that you are no threat to our people."

Hijikata graciously accepted the papers and gave her a bow of thanks. "We cannot thank you enough, Sen-hime," he told her. It was certainly a great myth that all Oni were monsters that drank the blood of their human victims, as all Japanese children had known from the tales that their elders would tell them.

"Well, it's the least I can do for the people who helped shelter Chizuru-chan from harm," Sen-hime explained, emphasizing the difference of Chizuru's station. She was no longer a mere girl from Edo, but now the leader of an Oni clan, despite said clan's destruction. "I have to thank all those who helped my people anyways."

"We would have done it no matter who she was," Hijikata replied. No doubt, there was truth in his words, which made Sen-hime's heart sank. She knew that Kazama's intentions for Chizuru, no matter how aggressive his approach, were as pure as theirs towards the girl. They thought that they were saving her from just another villain, but they did not know the apparent struggle that Chizuru was having at the moment. Kazama could be  _very_ convincing if he wanted to be, and judging by the fact that Chizuru had not tried to escape his lands even until now, surely his designs had been working to some extent.

"I wish you luck, I really do," Sen-hime said, "but remember, at the end of the day, you must respect whatever Chizuru chooses. It is her future, and no one can ever have a hand in the decision she makes. That applies to every one as well." In all truth, they were taking a great gamble by embarking on such a journey, but somehow, she knew that they had already sensed that truth, even if they did not bring it to voice or action.

"We will," Hijikata reassured her. He did not know what went on in her head, but he knew a long time ago that he was going to be only a single stop in her life, for the sole reason that he had never imagined that he would survive this war. He had once thought that he would live only as long as the Shinsen-Gumi did. Being able to see this day come was already a miracle in its own. He had meant every word that he had said to Chizuru when he told her that he could not function as a whole without her by his side. He was determined to bring her back, no matter what happened, and he was an extremely lucky man who have companions who willingly joined him in his quest.

When Sen-hime left, Heisuke asked, "Ne, Hijikata-san, what did Sen-hime mean?"

Harada snorted and butted in, "Heisuke, you're still a kid if you didn't understand something so simple."

Shinpachi sniggered. "Sano's right, Heisuke," he added, rubbing Heisuke's head with his knuckles. "You're not mature enough to comprehend such difficult concepts."

Heisuke protested against Harada's and Shinpachi's treatment of him, but no one paid him heed. They were just up to their usual antics, a habit that could not be broken, even if Heisuke was already in his twenties, and was clearly as much a man as Harada and Shinpachi were.

"I hope the lot of you won't wreck the peace of the countryside during your travels," Sannan prayed, discreetly passing Heisuke a pack of medicine that would help him overcome the bloodlust of the Rasetsu. It had been helping them thus far, and he hoped that it would aid Heisuke along the journey.

"Don't worry, Hijikata-san will make sure we are at our best behavior," Souji reassured Sannan with a cat-like grin. "Ne, Hijikata-san?"

Hijikata, on the other hand, frowned. "I should have locked all of you clowns up in a dark cell," he threatened, putting his hand to his forehead.

"Fukuchou, we should leave now," Saito advised, bringing them all back to the reality of the situation.

"Be careful on your travels," Kondou told them all. "We'll wait for your letters if you can send them!"

Smiling, Hijikata nodded, before telling Kondou that he was nothing like a big kid, much like Harada, Shinpachi and Heisuke. Together, the little company bowed to those that they would leave behind and headed towards the city gates. It was a first step of a journey that they had longed wish to embark upon, and they took it with high hopes that they would be able to return with the precious cargo that was waiting for them at the end of their journey.

* * *

"Chizuru-sama, may I speak my mind?" Sayo asked Chizuru one day while accompanying her on her umpteenth walk around the plantations in the village. When Chizuru gave her an affirmative answer, she continued, "What is your connection with the Shinsen-Gumi?" Although she was born and raised in the Kazama village, she had heard of the Shinsen-Gumi's great exploits, particularly when its warriors could even pit their swords against Kazama Chikage and survive. Yet, when the leaders of the Oni clans met, Chizuru had displayed obvious concern towards the Shinsen-Gumi, and it was something that Sayo did not understand. Kazama had fought for the Satsuma-han, and yet, the Shinsen-Gumi were agents of the Bakufu, so… should they not be enemies?

Chizuru was not shocked, or taken aback, much to Sayo's surprise. Instead, her smile became pensive, and she answered, "They once threatened to kill me…" Sayo let out a gasp, and she continued, "But when they found out that I was looking for my father, and not a spy, they decided to let me remain with them and volunteered to help me look for him."

"They… do not sound like the killers they are made to be," Sayo mused with a furrowed brow. Before the Kazama village had been hidden, and when she was still free to visit the human establishments, she had heard rumors that the Shinsen-Gumi killed all those who opposed their will, and that their leaders would even kill their own men if dissent ever occurred.

"No, they aren't," Chizuru answered. "Many of them are kind, warm and helpful." None of them had ever meant to kill her, even if she had gotten in their way, even Souji, who shielded her from Kazama the first time they had met at the Ikedaya, despite his injuries. Perhaps her fondest memories of the lengths they went through to ensure her safety when she was had disguised herself as a geiko. Saito and Yamazaki had proclaimed to be Sumiya's guardian and her personal ninja-bodyguard respectively, while Harada, Shinpachi and Heisuke purposely created a ruckus in order to draw out the roshi that plotted to attack the Shinsen-Gumi headquarters, during which Hijikata had aided her escape from Shimabara… She also could not forget that Kazama had assisted her as well that night, by knocking one of the lecherous perverts she had served cold, clearing her escape.

After those words, Sayo decided to remain silent, still unable to comprehend what Chizuru had told her. A young Oni girl herself, she had never understood how the humans could be as Chizuru had described, as if they were just like her Oni brethren with one another. Were the humans not a selfish, greedy race, as everyone had made them to be?

As they walked through the countryside, Chizuru realized that she had never once appreciated the beauty of the village ever since she had arrived. Her heart had only been given to the sea, because she had never been near it before. But now, when her eyes had been set to a scenery of closer distance, she realized that the village and its many plantations too, had their wonders. She knew that the Satsuma-han was a highly volcanic area, which caused the land around them to be highly fertile. The entire village was green with the leaves of various forms of vegetation, be they palms at the beach, or those meant for agriculture, it had been a welcome change from the white and browns of the cities that she had called her home, be it Edo or Kyoto. Meanwhile, the pomegranate flowers were redder there in the village, while the ones she had known in Kyoto were skewed more towards orange hues.

They soon arrived at a garden that Chizuru swore that she had never seen before. It was filled with a strange flower, which had petals that grew in layers and layers, hiding its center. Upon closer inspection, she realized that its stem was thorny, and she could not feel the utter irony of its being. It was something so beautiful, so elegant and rare, yet… as if to ward of those who dared to even mar its beauty, it grew thorns to protect itself.

There was no flower better suited to Kazama than this one, she thought to herself. He was a man who clearly held the best of intentions, yet grew thorns to throw people away from them, as if he did not want to present himself as someone who was benevolent. But why were these flowers growing there, in such a forgotten corner of the village?

"These were grown by my mother, before she passed. They are called roses, or 'bara' in our language," Kazama's voice entered her voice, and she found him standing behind her, his presence unexpected, as always. There was no sly mischief in his voice, but a sense of reflection, as if he was trying to remember a past that was never his. "My father told me that she had obtained them from a Chinese trader who got it from the southern regions of China." Such a possibility was not beyond rhyme and logic, because the Satsuma-han had often traded with foreign entities behind the back of the Bakufu because of its proximity to the sea and its distance from the Bakufu's control. It was also one of the reasons as to why it grew so wealthy and powerful over the years. "He would often tend to these flowers himself, as if to remember her by."

"It suits you, Kazama-san," she told him outright, looking into his ruby eyes. For some reason, ever since she had assumed the empty position of the leader of her clan, confidence slowly crept into her every word, movement and gesture. She no longer resorted to blushing and refusing to speak, even if he had resorted to using his usual low-aiming humor around her.

Kazama chuckled, and replied, "You are not the first one to tell me that." He was sure that after that revelation, she would expect him to reveal who told him that. She had always been a curious person. "It was your birth father," he told her. "He was well-versed in the studies of the Western world due to his research in medicine, and told me that the rose meant many things, but in a once-great empire called 'Rome', secrets are said to be hidden beneath the rose."

Chizuru smiled. "Then it suits you even more," she emphasized. She had already come to terms that she would not remember any trace of her parents, or her village, but she would trust the memories of others to tell her what kinds of people her family were, and how her village had been. Looking at the flowers now known to her as roses, she realized more than anything that her father had been right. Kazama did hold many secrets indeed.

"Come," he said, harrumphing, but returning her smile at the same time. "There is something I want to show you." Wordlessly, he dismissed Sayo, knowing that she could be depended not to reveal too much to his grandmother. He did not trust Amagiri when it came to matters that required subtlety.

He had once escorted her back to the Shinsen-Gumi, and at that time, he had walked in front of her, guiding her away from the crowds that almost trampled over her because she was so small. Now, it was different. They walked side by side, because there was nothing that stood before them, only a green field, and the blue skies above them.

They took a left turn, and soon, they came to a slightly forested area. The roots of the trees there grew close to one another, resulting in tangles, making it harder to walk on the path. Upon noticing that she was having troubles walking though unfamiliar terrain, he took her by the hand and said, "Follow my footsteps." She did exactly that, and he could feel her hand gradually getting warmer, although she tried to maintain her determined expression. He soon stopped, and looked towards her. "Go on," he told her. Chizuru's brow furrowed, and he continued, "I would not have wasted all this time and effort if I wished you harm..."

Knowing that there was no reason to doubt him, Chizuru heaved a tired sigh and went forward. Carefully, she parted a few entwined wild bamboo branches, and came to a little clearing. In that clearing, was a little hot spring, enough to fit one adult person. It was not the most majestic hot spring, but somehow, the gesture was welcome. It was another secret that he only he had known, one that he passed to only her. She thanked him gleefully, and for some reason, their eyes met, and would not be parted. "Kazama-san…" she said, but he silenced her with a finger pressed onto her lips, and once again embraced her. It was then when she realized that something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong… "You shouldn't be so kind to me," she told him, trying to look away from him even as she was in his arms, feeling nothing but with warmth.

Ever since she had taken his hand that night at the Nishi Hongan-ji, he had only been supportive of her. He had guided her, and allowed to face her own past on her own terms. He answered every question she had, of herself, of their race and his past without judgment, and helped her pass the most difficult days of her short life thus far. It was he that held her after her father had disintegrated into nothing but white ash, he who told her every single possibility of the Shinsen-Gumi's part in the war even as he had withdrawn himself from fighting in it, and he who held her gently and discreetly when Amagiri told them the fate of the Shinsen-Gumi at the Battle of Edo Castle… She realized now, more than ever, that having to deal with his constant teases and sly remarks actually gave her the confidence to speak her mind, knowing that the responses would not always be positive. The very fact that she could have held her own in a meeting with the leaders of other Oni clans had been the sheer result of that…

If the Shinsen-Gumi had given a purpose and a shield to her life in the past, then it was Kazama that gave her a new confidence that she never thought she could ever possess. She realized it at that moment, and she was afraid, because he had given her too great a gift, a gift that she was bound to repay with everything she possessed, and her possessions were little, save for her heart and soul, and the kodachi that marked her identity as the daughter of the Yukimura clan.

"Why?" he asked her, tightening his hold over her, pulling her closer to him. He could feel her heart beating ever quicker, but he did not care. Although he had once told himself and the world around him that he would have her as his wife regardless of their emotions, he knew that he would one day have to eat his words the very moment he brought her home with him successfully, and upon her volition. She had never rejected his advances, no matter how unwilling she had been to reveal her true reactions, and with that request that she had just given him, it gave him all the more reason to probe further.

"I'm afraid," she answered him, looking into his eyes all of a sudden. No, it was not fear that she held in her eyes, it was something else. She did not continue, but he could already guess what was going on in her mind. No matter who she was becoming, there would always be several souls that she could never let go, souls that she held dear to her heart. Her mind clung to them even as her heart was gently moved towards his.

Regardless of her response, he kissed her again. This time, she was not taken by surprise, and held her own well. From that kiss, he realized that the two of them had been doomed from the start. Tears started streaming down her eyes as the kiss went on, and he broke it so that he could kiss them away. "You are a fool," he scolded her, his words nothing more than a whisper as he brought his arms around her shoulder, his hands resting on the back of her head.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I… have to see them again." She had longed to see them ever since she left them for the second time, because of the memories that they had etched into the deepest reserves of her soul, because they had been there for her, aiding her when she thought all hope was lost. Those men had protected her when there was utterly no rhyme and reason for them to do so. They had opened their world to her without questions, and she could not just… disappear from it, no matter what her future before her was.

"Then let them come if they are able," Kazama replied. "I will not relinquish you from my side." He knew that allowing her to properly farewell those peasant samurai was a mistake. No, they were now hatamoto. He would have to come out with a new derogatory term for them when he met them next. He would no longer give her the option of choice, although he knew that he had no right to compel her to choose him. "You are mine, Chizuru," he proclaimed, words that had been more for his own ears than hers.

Chizuru said aught else. She just remained in his arms. Her silence was her acceptance.


	20. The Study

"At times, a woman requires more than just a man to love and protect her," Hana told Sayo. The matriarch of the Kazama clan had taken upon herself to give all the girls in the village some sort of bridal training, sage pieces of advice for all of them so that they would find their own happiness. Sayo was nary at the age of 14, already old enough to begin to understand the complexities of the bonds between man and woman, and with a charge like Yukimura Chizuru, Hana was sure that Sayo would learn fast indeed. "She needs someone who can understand the trials she is going through, a man that has the ability to support her ideals and goals, no matter how big or small they are, and more importantly, he must realize that his love is not always enough to bind her to him. She must choose him and him, her."

Of course, she knew the trials and tribulations that existed in Chizuru's heart. She had been revealed to the love of men, although of the human race, men who had each loved her in their own way. There was that black-haired beauty, blessed with piercing eyes and a mind of a great general. He had come to rely on her because of her unwavering presence, her desire to give aid no matter how small. He had been touched by her loyalty and her iron will, and had come to give his heart to her. No doubt, this man was the greatest contender for her grandson, for they were the most similar in manner, talent and responsibility. That sly, mischievous Kazama smile surfaced on Hana's features when she realized one single peculiarity in the Yukimura girl's tastes… she had been attracted to men of power. Sadly for him though, was that he had been too slow in revealing his heart to her. He had realized his love for her too late, and was unable to give her what she had truly needed. She has not biased towards her grandson, but it was the truth of the matter. Chizuru would not flourish with a man like him.

Then, there was that stoic warrior with sapphire eyes and hair the color of the dark shades of the sky at dusk. That child held great conflict in his heart, and he was unable to resolve it. Born a samurai, and already deciding to live and die by the sword at a young age, he had never learned to accept that one day, he would find a woman who could have seen things in a clearer way that he did. She provided such clarity to him, that perhaps being a warrior was different than being a killer, and he had only begun to taste what wisdom she had in that head of hers. His first shocks of her great insight was enough to bring him to his knees, and as he continued to fight, he continued to see clearly that the world was not only made up of battles for survival, or ideals, but something simpler and closer to home. He needed her too much, and thus, was unsuitable for her. She required a man that could stand on his own, and even aid her when she could not. It did not mean that this warrior was not strong enough, but his eyes were still blinded. He still had a lot of thinking to do.

The next one was that iron-clad soul with hair the color of fire and eyes of amber. One could have suspected that he had a tiny amount of Oni blood considering his coloring, but at the same time, one could be mistaken as well. This man had the strength to carry ten men, and like her grandson, he would have the ability to nurture Chizuru, but perhaps, such strength was too great. A relationship between a man and a woman was required to be equal, and he had too much steel and iron in him. He yearned to protect her, but he must also realize that she was not a fragile, porcelain doll. She too, had her own place in her world, and it would never remain as only his beloved. It lied in other areas that she herself must discover. He had failed because he was flying a kite with too short and tense a string. The kite could fly, with great care and a myriad of favorable conditions, but it could only fly so high.

The following one was an enigma to her. This man-child, a cold, powerful killer had auburn hair and eyes the color of emerald. He had the skill enough to match that of her grandson, and like him, only wished to be around her when she needed him most. Like a young boy who teased the girl he liked just because he had no other way of catching her attention, he had hidden the fact that he too, cared for her deeply. Perhaps it was because he knew that among all those men vying for her heart, his presence in her life could be the shortest. Nevertheless, he tried to remain smiling, although she clearly feared for his life. She tried everything to make his time with his sickness bearable, and it was then he realized how lovely she was, and how sad she would be if he had left this world suddenly. That was why he continued his mischief around her, around those he knew and respected. He did so to stop them from worrying, and threw everything to chance. This, had been his only fault, and he had lost half the game of chance. He would survive his sickness for the time being, but he had lost his heart to another.

The boy, although most probably ignored by her other contenders, was actually a great force to be reckoned with. Like her, he was trying to find his footing in a world he barely understood. He had given himself the space to make the mistakes of youth, and he had quickly learned from them. He had shown her a prime example that not everyone was too far gone, that no matter what, there was still a chance for one to return to where they had started, although great sacrifices must be made. To return to that closely-bonded group of warriors, the boy had to discard his humanity and pursue the life of a false Oni, a choice that would have most likely accelerated him to his death, it was a choice that could have kept him alive, perhaps for a little while longer. For him, his failure was that he thought that her brilliance belonged to him alone when it belonged to all those she chose to reveal it to. They were walking the same paths, dancing around the same issues, but she could never belong to him and him alone.

That was not to say her grandson was not entirely without fault. It was true that on so many levels, the both of them were fated to be together. It was also true that they were previously betrothed just mere months before her clan was destroyed. He should know that if they had been bound by unseen bonds, then she would be bound to the humans that protected her as well. Their memory, and their destiny was her burden to carry, and no matter how loath he had been to know it, he would have to accept it. There was no doubt that they loved her as much as he did, and while they had their faults, it had been her choice to love them in return, in whatever ways she did. He should have given her the confidence that no matter what happened, her heart would belong to him, because it was he that she had chosen to give the rest of her days to, for whatever reason.

Hana broke herself from her observations, and found the most peculiar sight. From her vantage point on the veranda of the manor her family owned, she saw young Chizuru and her fool of a grandson, walking down from the mountain-path hand in hand. The distance between them, once ruled by a mixture of formality, fear and uncertainty was now closed, and was that a smile on Chizuru's face? She had not seen the girl smile like that before…

Well, it was settled then. The girl was no longer undecided. She had already given her choice, and she had chosen her grandson. It would certainly change the playing-field indeed. Already those men that claimed to love her have embarked on the quest to return her to them. Although she still sensed longing on the girl's part, but what would their reaction be when they discover that she no longer wished to return with them, but only wished to see them?

It was still early days to determine the victor, but at the same time, Hana could not help but feel utmost delight because her grandson had found at least a small measure of happiness. He had deserved it, after all, following whatever he had done, fighting and toiling for their people's safety. It was the least a grandmother could wish for her grandson.

* * *

"Kagoshima city?" the border-guard asked them. "Whatever are you headed there for?" Their papers were all in order, but it was peculiar that men of high rank like themselves would ever travel such a great distance, just when the war had just ended.

"Our business is our own," Hijikata replied gruffly, but he was pulled aside by Harada.

"We're going to visit my sister," Harada explained, flashing a false, wide grin. "She's going to get married to some wealthy farmer there... We've all grown up together so these guys decided to come along."

Hijikata would have argued that Harada's response would have made them even more suspicious, but it seemed like the ploy was working. The border-guard allow them to pass after commenting that the daikon radishes from Kagoshima were the largest in all of Japan.

"I still think we should have killed him and be done with it," Souji noted as he looked back at the guard, who was still looking towards their direction, scratching his head.

Saito begged to differ. "We cannot kill  _all_  of the border-guards as we pass them, Souji," he told Souji before Hijikata had a chance to give Souji a piece of his mind. "Besides, we are peaceful travelers, nothing more."

"Hajime-kun, such seriousness is uncalled for," Souji returned, crossing his arms, mock-pouting as always. "What am I going to do to entertain myself with for three weeks if you don't even get a joke or two?"

Harada sniggered. "Souji, I think Hijikata would kill you before you manage to get Saito to appreciate your jokes," he reminded the younger man.

"He's tried for years, Sano-san," Souji replied. "Look, I'm still here, aren't I?"

A round of laughter sounded between them, and although Hijikata had been made the butt of the joke, he appeared no angrier than he should have at all. He knew better than to fight Souji in his own game. He knew Souji well enough to understand that the more he revealed his displeasure, the more Souji would continue to make fun of him. Although there were times when Souji would drive him to forget his composure, it was generally how Hijikata had dealt with Souji ever since they knew one another.

"You know, this trip takes me way, way back," Shinpachi said, folding his arms behind his head as they walked through the forest road. "It's been a long, long time since we've passed the time together, without any actual work to do."

Even Hijikata had to agree with what Shinpachi had said. The days they had spent together in the Shieikan had not been forgotten, but they were no longer the same men they were. They used to be mere scholars of the sword-arts, and now, they served powers that were greater than themselves, and their own hearts as well.

"Heisuke, you're exceptionally quiet today," Hijikata said to the youngest one among them. "Is it too painful for you to move?"

Heisuke snapped out of his daydream and shook his head. "I'm fine," he protested. They were not travelling under direct sunlight anyways, with the dense foliage protecting him somewhat from the light of the sun. He had been wise to walk only in the darkest parts of the shade, but there was clearly something bothering him.

"You never were a good liar, Heisuke," Shinpachi told him, messing up the tops of his brown hair. "Come on, out with it. What were you thinking about?

"I… I was thinking, what if Chizuru wanted to stay there with Kazama Chikage, for whatever reason?"

Silence soon reigned, not because Heisuke had spoken out of line, but because he had been the only one who had the courage (and naiveté) to voice out their fears. They knew that the chances of Heisuke's fears becoming true were great, because Chizuru was one who was most likely to keep her word, because even Sen-hime had told them that Kazama's accusations that she was his future bride were true, that she had been promised to him even when she was a girl. If Chizuru went with them, then she would have turned her back on her own people, and they did not know if she was even ready to take on such a sin for them.

"Then she stays there," Hijikata answered Heisuke. "If that is her choice, then we cannot alter her decision, no matter what we feel about it." Hijikata knew Heisuke's concerns well. Like all of them there, Heisuke would rather Chizuru choose one among them than Kazama, because Kazama was not someone they knew, not someone they had trusted. But then again, Kazama had been their rival because of the nature of his allegiances. When the conflict had first started, the Satsuma-han appeared to be the allies of the Bakufu on the surface, although it tried often to reap the rewards of the labor of other factions. Kazama had merely fought to preserve the interests of the Satsuma-han, as they had fought on the Bakufu's side, representing the Aizu-han.

"But…"

"Heisuke, Chizuru is not a doll that you can simply snatch back whenever you want her by your side," Harada added. He had a similar conversation with Saito before, naught a few weeks ago. "She's free to go with whoever she wants to."

"She would be with her people if she remains there," Saito continued. "If she continues her days with us, she will only be an anomaly of nature." In her days with them, Chizuru had been kept hidden for obvious reasons. He knew the disquiet it brought her, to be forced to wear masculine clothing for long periods of time, and having to hide her heart and aid them in what ways she could muster. Her strength had been great, but he knew that no one was strong enough to constantly put on such a heavy mask. If Chizuru were to have chosen a different route, one that could bring her the happiness that she had deserved, then it was enough for him. However, there was also another problem in having Chizuru return with them… "Oni live long lives, and we humans only leave footprints of sand in the river of time."

It was Saito's words that brought a sudden clarity to Heisuke, who had no realization that the Oni and humans had different lifespans. "But still…"Heisuke countered, but failed to find the words to continue.

"Heisuke, keep your chin up," Souji said. "Didn't Hijikata-san say that we're still going to see her no matter what? We've not completely lost yet…"Souji knew that there was a high possibility that Heisuke would not accept the truth of the situation, but he also knew that Heisuke was not a fool. He was merely frustrated, and anxious.

In fact, Souji was more worried for Hijikata, above all. He kept all that he felt with that cold, stern mask that was his face, and he never once revealed his thoughts to others, absent the objectivity that a person of his talents and quality had. At least, Heisuke had the initiative to put his thought to words. Hijikata would rather carry them on his own.

Heisuke sighed. "I hate this!" he shrieked mere seconds later. "Why can't things just go back to how they were?"

"Everything happened for a reason," Hijikata told Heisuke. "I know that it's hard for you, but know this, you're not alone. We're all here because we want to bring that kid back if we can. We're no longer the same men who set out from the Shieikan, and the same goes for her. We can only guess what she's been through, and if we find out that he's been causing her harm, then we'll repay the favor ten times over."

Heisuke's mood started to improve after listening to what Hijikata had to say. Once again, the latter had displayed his skill in dealing with different kinds of people, but above all, he had finally revealed what had been going on in his own mind, if not a step clearer than what he had actually told them.

Having settled Heisuke's momentary existential crisis, they continued the rest of the day's journey in utter silence. They all had their own thoughts, and they now knew that they shared a consensus that formerly had been silent. That, as brothers in arms, and companions through many dangers, they knew and shared each other's doubts, fears, and projections about what was to come, although they went about them in their own ways.

Hijikata had taken the charge, leading them on that journey to whatever end. Souji, Saito and Harada were there because they wanted to see for themselves what kind of happiness that she had chosen for herself, while Heisuke, he had joined in this journey if not just to see her again, to remind her that her presence had been sorely missed.

It had now been clear, that they were embarking on this quest, all of them, knowing that the risk was not their lives or the fate of one another, they had been through the hell and back where those were concerned. Instead, the risk was that they would come out empty handed, that they would see that the girl that they had tried so hard to see again, she who had graced their lives, would have found a future far different than what they had imagined, a future that would no longer be entwined with theirs.


	21. The Illusion

It was an afternoon of calm and peace. Chizuru had just returned from a good soak in the onsen that Kazama had showed her when she found him outside her room in the Kazama manor. "I have good news for you," he told her, although with an apparent scowl on his face. "The guardians of your gilded cage have now left Edo and are heading towards Kagoshima city, making most of the journey on land."

Overjoyed with the news, Chizuru's expression brightened immediately and asked him, "When will they arrive?"

"In about a month, if they survive the journey," Kazama replied coolly, causing Chizuru to smile even wider. Her handmaiden left them both to make tea for them, and he entered her room with the door left ajar. "Perhaps we should have our wedding soon, then it would be too late for them to take you away from me."

Chizuru glared at him. "Kazama-san, do not make threats that you do not intend to carry out," she chastised him, not bothering to turn towards him to see the look of utter satisfaction that she knew came from her reaction. "You promised me one year, and barely a month has passed…"

"And in these few short weeks, you have already chosen me over those ennobled peasants," Kazama returned. "Why don't we spare them the pain and heartbreak, as well as the time to come all the way from Edo?"

"Kazama-san, you've gone too far!" Chizuru exclaimed, clearly exasperated by him. She had not forgotten what she had indicated to him after he had brought her to the onsen, but she never guessed that he would use it against her so quickly. She had thought him to be of a higher quality than that. It turned out that she was wrong.

Smiling evilly, Kazama circled his arms around her waist from behind her, a gesture that she did not reject. In fact, she rested her hands on his own, sighing deeply as he held her. "You have gotten easier and easier to bring to anger, my future wife," he observed. Her fair face was flush with annoyance and irritation, her breathing slightly shallow, but was normalizing as the seconds passed. "You do not know how much it pleases me to see you thus."

"You are insufferable," Chizuru retorted. She thought that she had been used to his teasing antics, but she realized that he was worse than ever. Yet, for his bad qualities as a person, he had other ones that redeemed him. She knew that he had chosen to act this way around her, partly because she was gullible enough to believe everything he said, even for that brief moment. "I… do not like that part of you Kazama-san…" She decided to speak her mind, knowing that Kazama would not willingly back down.

"So, you are saying that even after all this, you still dislike me," he interrupted her. There was disappointment in his voice, something that she had never heard before. It was something of a low growl, giving his baritone, slightly louder than a whisper, but softer than his usual tone.

Sighing, Chizuru protested. "Kazama-san, I do not hate you," she protested. Turning to face him, she realized that even his expression had changed. His brow was furrowed, ruby eyes not meeting hers. What had gotten into him?

"Then do you love me?" he asked further, almost turning away from her. Too shocked by the sudden change in him, she was unable to find an answer worthy of him. "If you cannot find a place for me in your heart, then I shall have to stop pursuing you thus. I cannot force you to feel what was never within you…"

It was at that time when Chizuru realized that she had already lost the battle of wills between herself and Kazama. If everything had been a trap, then she had fallen for it. The effects of such a mistake was hers to bear. "I… love you," she said in a small voice. "You have given me more than I ever imagined… I…"

Mercilessly, Kazama turned her around to face him, returning to his usual self. "Finally, I have heard you say those words on your own volition." Victory was written across his handsome face, his smile something more than being sly and wicked. Kazama Chikage was evil personified.

"You… you lied to me?" Chizuru demanded, and was now convulsing in utter anger.

"Come now, I was only providing the conditions for you to speak your mind," he explained, tipping her chin. "You look strangely lovely when you are angry, my beautiful future wife." Chizuru decided in finality that silence was the best weapon against him. She did not respond to him at all, but her heartbeat gave her away. She was still furious, and he smiled slyly, nevertheless.

She gave up. "I'm going to take a walk," she said in a huff, quickly releasing herself from him.

"You've only just returned," he reminded her, and stopped her from moving further away by holding onto her wrist. One gentle pull was enough to bring her back into his arms. Although he seemed to utterly antagonize her, Chizuru knew that everything he had done had been in her best interests. He had stood by her in the hardest moments of her life, offering comfort when there was no one else she could turn to, giving her the strength to move on when she felt that she no longer had the will to step forwards. There was once she thought that to love was to give selflessly, as she had given to the Shinsen-Gumi, as hard as she had toiled for them, but she also knew now that there was another side to it, a side that only Kazama could have shown her.

"You have an awful personality," Chizuru told him, making him chuckle.

"You would get bored of me if I were meek and pleasant, I assure you," he returned. "But such a proclamation troubles you somehow," he added, sensing the little hint of distress in her, as if a deep realization had dawned upon her. "Is it because of your precious Hijikata Toshizou?"

This time, Chizuru blushed, not out of anger, but something else. Hijikata had clearly told her that he loved her, but was it love that she felt towards him? She had wanting nothing but to lessen his burden, although she knew that there was nothing that she could have done to help him, and at the same time, she had hoped to see him smile, a rare gift that he had awarded those around him with. In that brief moment in Edo when he said those words of love to her, she had clearly felt the depths of his heart, and the joy that followed those words, but now, she could no longer remember precisely why she was so happy to hear them. That memory had been significant to her, doubtless, but its meaning no longer was.

"He means a lot to me still," she told Kazama, burying herself in his arms.

"I know," he broke in, catching his fingers in her long, brown hair. Of course he had known what she had felt towards Hijikata, who had been her protector through the terrors of the conflict that gripped the humans of their country. If anything, he doubted that he would be able to secure her heart should the human fool refuse to release her when he had come for her that night in Kyoto. "You are a greedy woman, my future wife."

"If I am not like this, I wouldn't be able to be your equal," Chizuru replied, once again revealing the amount of insight she had in her. She was a woman who found her joy in things that were simple, and she was anything but. It was as if she had already set herself to be his wife, but he knew that the quest for her heart had not been fully won yet. She might have finally admitted to love him, but he knew that there were ties other than just love that bound one to the other. Loyalty, gratitude, honor… they were all enough to move mountains, it was the same in the world of the humans, and it would be the same amongst their people as well.

By that time, he heard Sayo's footsteps approaching and he gently drew away from her. Straightening himself, he kissed her on her forehead and told her, "I return to my work with the illusionists. I will return in the evening to escort you to dinner."

* * *

They camped out under the stars. Somehow, something was not right. A village had been clearly marked out on the map that they had brought with them, but there was nothing there. It was as if the village had not existed at all, and they did not believe that the village had disappeared overnight.

"We're supposed to have entered Amakusa Village by now," Saito commented, looking around him as they gathered around a fire that they had built, using a pile of dried leaves that seemed too conveniently placed before them.

"It's almost as if we've walked into a trap," Shinpachi whispered, his words only loud enough for those around him to hear.

Hijikata harrumphed. "If this is a trap, then what was the bait?" he asked. They were sitting right in the center of what was supposed to be a village with proper, planned roads, but there was not a single structure in sight.

"The strangest thing is, you can actually sense Ki here, but there's no one else around except us," Souji added. They were all swordsmen of the highest quality, and were able to sense the existence of other individuals, and gauge their prowess by the Ki that they possessed.

Heisuke agreed with Souji. "This place  _feels_  like a real village," he said, clearly confused about the situation that they were in. Teal eyes then scanned the area around them, and found Harada walking towards them. "Sano-san, did you find anything?"

"Nothing but a well in the center of this so-called village," Harada replied, making himself between Shipachi and Heisuke. He then took a nearby stick and started to draw the perimeter of the village on the dirt. "However, I sensed strong Ki at the four corners of the village, as if… a huge net has been cast from above, and whatever's there in those corners are pinning it down."

"Which means someone is trying to protect this village by hiding it," Hijikata summarized from what Harada told them.

Souji cocked an eyebrow at Hijikata. "Hijikata-san, are you trying to say that someone made this village invisible to our eyes? Is it even possible?"

"Remember what Kimigiku told us?" Hijikata asked them all in return. "The Kazama clan is famous for creating illusions. This village might just be something similar…"

"So, we've gotten ourselves into an Oni village?" Souji replied. "This is very interesting indeed."

Hijikata got up and lighted a torch. "We'll take a walk around this village then, see what it has to offer us."

No one went against Hijikata's decision, and they all quietly walked behind him in single-file, keeping their footsteps as quiet as possible. They walked the streets of the village, and found that it was neat, and well-organized, by the manner the streets had been laid out.

They soon arrived at the western edge of the village, where Heisuke spotted something most peculiar. There was an object on the village's fence, an ofuda, a talisman, that was glowing blue. It was attached to the fence at a position near to the ground, and the nearer they got to the ofuda, the stronger the… Ki, if such an energy could be termed as Ki, grew stronger.

Heisuke stretched his hand out to touch it, but his hand seemed to have hit something hard mid-air, as if he had touched a wall. Everyone saw what Heisuke did, and Hijikata, who was closest to Heisuke repeated the same action. He could clearly see the ofuda, but, he could not reach for it…

"Your intrusion of this village shall end here," a voice from behind them said. The men of the Shinsen-Gumi turned around to find a man of tall, stocky build. This man… looked like Amagiri Kyuuju for some reason, for he had the same red hair and the same body-type.

"What are you going to do to us?" Hijikata asked the man, readying his katana. If it was a fight that the person wanted, he would willingly give him a fight.

The man took a step forwards nonetheless. "I will have to ask you to leave this place, or I will have to silence you. Permanently."

"We are travelers in search for a place to stay," Saito reasoned despite Hijikata's readiness to resort to force of arms. "Forgive us for the intrusion."

"Sadly, your intrusion must end," the man said. "This village was not meant for human eyes."

Hijikata sighed, and retrieved a piece of paper from his sleeve. "Perhaps this will clear everything," he said, passing the piece of paper to the man, who read it with an unchanging expression. It was the document that Sen-hime had given him, one that bore her seal.

"I understand now," the man concluded, and returned the piece of paper to Hijikata. "So, you are the Shinsen-Gumi endorsed by the princess of Yase… Forgive my previous rudeness."

The man snapped his fingers, and immediately, the entire village came to life. The houses, shops and gardens of the village was now revealed to them, and so were its inhabitants, which solved the mystery of the massive amounts of Ki with the apparent inhabitation of the village. The villagers all looked at them in awe, but dared not come close to them, as if they were to be feared.

"What… what is this?" Harada asked aloud, not caring who heard him at that point of time.

"An Oni illusion," the man answered. "This village is under the joint protection of the Kazama and Amagiri clans, and thus uses illusions as a line of defense. Come, we will speak under roof and near warming fire. If you are not threats to us, then you are our esteemed and honored guests."

Having said thus, the man led them to a medium-sized dwelling, and were served tea and a modest meal of rice, vegetables and river-fish. "We thank you for your hospitality," Hijikata said after their meal.

The man accepted their gratitude and said, "My name is Amagiri Ichiro, judging by your expressions, you must have met my younger brother, Kyuujuu before." Hijikata gave this new Amagiri a cautious nod. "Then the rumors that the Shinsen-Gumi has many dealings with my kind are true."

"We're heading towards the Kazama clan's village at Kagoshima," Souji said directly, somehow sensing that the direct approach would work better with this particular individual.

Amagiri Ichiro scratched his chin. "May I ask why you are headed towards that direction?" he asked them. "As I recall, with the draw at the Battle of Edo, neither side plans to prosecute the other…"

"We're not there to fight the Oni on the Satsuma-han," Harada explained. "It's just that…" Words failed him, because he was unsure whether or not to reveal the reasons to their quest.

"Kazama Chikage has someone that we want to see again," Hijikata continued for Harada. Seeing as to how Amagiri acted around Kazama, he assumed that his brother would know a thing or two about the leader of the Kazama clan and his designs for Chizuru. "We're not going back until we see her."

It was then when realization dawned upon Amagiri Ichiro. "You are seeking the new leader of the Yukimura clan, are you not?" he asked them. News that the Kazama clan would soon gain a powerful and young daughter-in-law had spread far and wide, and the Amagiri clan, long tied to the Kazama clan, were the first to know about it.

"Yes," Saito answered. "We are determined to bring her back before the wedding commences, if she so wishes it."

"I think that is unnecessary," Amagiri's brother replied. "Oni do not marry against their will. All the Oni clans have been notified of their wedding that is to be held during the next New Year, if Yukimura-dono had disagreed to such a union, such information would not have been disseminated."

Such words put a great stone into their hearts, but they remembered that Chizuru had only agreed to do so to protect them. She had offered herself to Kazama to spare their lives, and to stop his raid on the Shinsen-Gumi's headquarters. "We'd still like to try," Heisuke said. "She only said yes because she was forced to…"

"How peculiar indeed," Amagiri's brother noted. "However, I am not privy to the matters of the leader of the Kazama clan, so I cannot divulge anything that I do not know."

"Could you help us find the village?" Hijikata asked.

"That I cannot do," Amagiri's brother said flatly. "The Oni clans have all started to distance themselves from your race by hiding their dwelling-places using every means available to them. It would not do for me to reveal the location of the Kazama village at all. Such an act would be seen as tremendous treason."

"But, you're sheltering us for the night aren't you?" Souji asked. "Wouldn't that be treason as well?"

"That is because you have seen through the illusion with your own efforts," Amagiri's brother explained. "That is why I chose to reveal this village to you. The protectors of other villages will certainly do the same if you manage to deduce the nature of the lines of their defenses. However, you must swear never to speak of these places, under the pain of death."

The men of the Shinsen-Gumi nodded voluntarily. They would have nothing to gain at all by telling the world that there were entire villages where Oni called their home. They would be regarded as crazed fools too engrossed in the tales of children anyways. They were then led to another part of the house where two rooms had already been prepared for them.

"You shall sleep here tonight, and be ready to leave at first light," Amagiri's brother told them. "I now take my leave." Like Amagiri, he gave them all a low, deep bow, a gesture that was duly returned.


	22. The Vision

In her time in the Kazama village, Chizuru had come to enjoy the time that she would spend with Hana. Kazama's grandmother was wise and gentle, knowledgeable in everything that had to do with their people. In other words, Hana was a great repository of Oni knowledge, their history, and their way of life, their traditions, more than whatever books in the library of the Kazama manor could ever include.

"How long does our people usually live for?" Chizuru asked Hana one afternoon as the two of them were doing some embroidery in each other's company. Kazama had lived for decades and was still young and handsome, and doubtless, Hana was the same. Yet, she and Sen-hime were still young, and although they were already in their twenties, they still looked like teenaged girls…

"There was a time when we were truly ageless and deathless," Hana answered, almost reminiscent of the time passed. "However, we soon involved ourselves into the wars of the humans, and our species soon started to thin out at alarming rates. For some reason, females started to diminish in number, and the males have no choice but to take human wives, which further decreased the lifespans and powers of their children. If we are not killed in any way, then we would live to about a few centuries maximum, that is, those with pure Oni blood."

Chizuru had only seen 21 springs, and had more than enough time remaining to walk the world. But… there were those around her that would expire within the next few decades… "What about the Oni who chose to live around humans?" she asked further.

Hana sighed, finally understanding why Chizuru had asked her such questions. "They would live as long as their humans, I suppose," she answered truthfully. "I have heard of several Oni who cast their lives away in utter grief when their humans had left them for another realm of existence. That is perhaps one of the reasons why we distanced ourselves from them, because their lives are too short compared to ours."

"Perhaps, one lifetime with those that they loved was enough," Chizuru mused, putting her recent work down. She had never thought herself to be someone that was afraid of death. Despite her current station, she had been raised thinking that she was nothing but a common, human girl, and now, she only realized that within a year's time, she would have to choose, whether she was going to live among her people with Kazama, or to return to the human worlds with Hijikata and the rest of the Shinsen-Gumi…

"The choice is yours to make, child," Hana told Chizuru. "But know this, do not make your choice if you are thinking about others, how they would respond, and how they would live in the future. You have your own path to walk, and only you yourself can dictate whatever you choose. Decide as you will, not decide on what others expect you to."

"What if I want both?" she continued. What if she could not decide whether she wanted to live a long life with Kazama, unmarred by the hurts and harms of the human world henceforth, or a life spent with those of the Shinsen-Gumi? "I know that it is… impossible and selfish for me to say such a thing but…"

"We all know that it is impossible to  _have_  both," Hana finished. "However, I do rather think that a union with one wife and many husbands will benefit our race tremendously, but the elders of all the clans would just cough blood and die in outrage. We do not want this kind of blood on our hands, do we not?" There was a short pause on Hana's part, and then she added, "But there are other ways in which you might actually achieve that end, not in the marital way of course, but… something else…"

Chizuru did not know of Hana was just trying to humor her or she really had a plan up her sleeves. They did not speak on that issue again. Both of them continued their embroidering in silence, and Hana could not stop smiling to herself upon noticing that it was a rose that Chizuru was embroidering, in fact, such a rose could be found in one of the manor's many courtyards, retrieved from the gardens that her son used to tend to in their old home before they were relocated.

As the time passed, Chizuru had almost finished with her rose, she looked up and found that Hana had dozed off. It was then when the scenery before her had completely changed. She could no longer see the ornate furniture of the sitting area of the Kazama manor's main hall, but a rather busy market, not unlike the one she had frequented in Kyoto back in the day.

She could see Hijikata, Harada, Saito, Heisuke, Shinpachi and Heisuke walked through the shops and stalls, their heads held high in their civilian clothes, so she knew that it was not a memory… There, all of a sudden, Souji stopped, and began looking at a shop that sold sweet desserts of all kinds.

" _Souji, we have to quicken our pace," Saito admonished Souji._

" _Alright, Hajime-kun, I'm coming," Souji replied rather unwillingly. "I just suddenly remembered how much that kid loves sweets…"_

_Saito could not help but add, "She prefers dango."_

This was not the first time that she had seen something like this. The last time had happened when Souji was proclaimed to be free of tuberculosis from Matsumoto, the doctor that had been the mutual friend of her father and the Shinsen-Gumi… She never thought that she could see them outside of her dreams…

Knowing that there could never be another opportunity like this, she focused everything she had in her to maintain the images, so that she could see more of what she had just seen.

* * *

"Souji, we have to quicken our pace," Saito told Souji off when he realized that Souji was now behind them. He found Souji observing a stall filled to the brim with various sweets. There was one much like this in Kyoto, where they would stop with Chizuru whenever they passed it.

"Alright, Hajime-kun, I'm coming," Souji replied with a lazy sigh, turning his heels towards Saito. "I just suddenly remembered how much that kid loves sweets…"

Saito smiled, and offered an unexpected response. "She prefers dango," he declared.

"Wait… I thought Chizuru liked konpeito?" Shinpachi added. Chizuru loved the beautiful colors and star-like shape of konpeito, but they were a rare treat because it is a highly labor-intensive confection to make.

Harada chuckled. "She loves everything sweet, end of the story," remembering one temple festival where she could not decide which dessert to purchase. In the end, he had bought one of each and shared it with her.

Even Hijikata, who rarely went out on rounds with Chizuru knew about her love for sweets. She was a girl of many smiles, but whenever she ate sweets, her lips would curl up in this peculiar way, and her eyes would light up in glee. She thought that no one would ever notice this smile on her at all, but she was wrong.

"Maybe we'll get some for her when we reach Kagoshima," Heisuke added. "Maybe she'd get so happy that she'd just want to come back with us!"

They were interrupted by the sight of a boy that looked too eerily like her. Like them, he was dressed in Western clothes in dark navy and black, and like her, his eyes were of honey, but that smile was completely different from hers. It was devious, and held some amount of malevolence.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" the boy asked them. "The dogs of the Bakufu out on a hunting trip?"

"Just who the hell are you?" Hijikata asked the boy, clearly losing his patience.

"Wait…" Souji said, walking between Hijikata and the boy, his hand resting on the top of the hilt of his katana. "I know you… I thought that you're a girl?"

"A girl?" Saito asked, taking a second look at the boy. Yes, there was no mistake then, that the one in front of them was Nagumo Kaoru, the one that looked so much like Chizuru, the one that they had assumed was an agent from the Tosa-han. "What are you doing here so far away from Tosa?" he added, unsheathing his katana.

Kaoru harrumphed. "I am on my way to visit my dear younger sister who has found a new home in Kagoshima," he answered, flicking the fringe of his hair away from his eyes. "She is to be bride, I hear."

"Chizuru-chan is your sister?" Shinpachi asked, although there was no doubt about it, just looking at the boy.

"I was adopted into the Nagumo clan when our clan was destroyed," Kaoru explained, unsheathing his katana as well. "Now, I shall retrieve my dear sister from the clutches of Kazama Chikage and bring her home to our ancestral lands…"

They knew that it was impossible. Apart from Kaoru, Chizuru was the only surviving member of the Yukimura clan, and they could not be able to repopulate their line unless Kaoru found himself a pure-blooded Oni wife. Their clan was as good as gone until that day came. Unless… unless whatever he had just said was just a lie.

"I don't think that you would resort to forcing Chizuru to commit incest," Hijikata said, speaking the most unpalatable. "Out with it, what do you want with her?"

Kaoru harrumphed and said, "I want to give her the greatest pain, as payment for the cursed life I have lived in the Nagumo clan by presenting your heads to her as a wedding gift."

* * *

Hana found Chizuru in the center of the sitting room, covered in cold sweat. "Child, are you alright?" she asked Chizuru, who was covered in cold sweat. For some reason, Chizuru's eyes seemed to contain clouds within them, and she could not be stirred. "Chizuru… Chizuru! Can you hear me?"

It took a few more seconds of shaking and calling her name to bring Chizuru back to consciousness. "What… what happened to me, Hana-baa?" she asked Hana. "I saw them… I saw Kaoru with Hijikata-san and the others, as if I was right there next to them…"

Those words took Hana aback. Chizuru was too young to have her powers starting to develop. She should be at least forty when this happened… Even though it was only for a little while, even if she could not have done much, but there was no mistake in it. "That was the first taste of what you can do as an Oni, child," Hana told her gravely.

Chizuru was in disbelief. "But Kazama-san told me that my clan's powers was in healing?" she asked Hana. Since she had known that she would start to display some form of gift later in her life, she had always expected that she could use it to help others…

"It could be anything," Hana answered her with a gentle smile. "And sometimes, it does not stop at one. But is too early to guess what you are even capable of. I shall convene with the rest of the elders of the clan. It is very rare for one of our kind to even start showing signs of developing powers like yours, on that scale."

"Hai…" Chizuru acknowledged. With that cleared, her mind then drifted towards Kaoru and the Shinsen-Gumi. She saw them with their katana at the ready, as if they were ready to have a duel. She had seen Kaoru fight with Kazama before, and although Kazama had been the clear victor, facing her twin brother would still be a challenge for them…

Before she was able to drift too far away, Hana spoke again. "You can go now, child. I will send Sayo for you when we are ready to see you."

With a bow, Chizuru retired to her room. The experience had most certainly left her winded and lethargic, but somehow, she felt that it was blessing, to have the power such as hers… Perhaps with any practice, she could see anyone she wanted to, even if she could not truly be with them…

* * *

The men of the Shinsen-Gumi had great experience in dealing with the Oni of the western territories of Japan, but it was the first time they had come to blows with one from the east. Kaoru was small and fast, but he held no real strength due to his petite size and stature, and relied on his speed to counter his enemies.

They should have been wiser not to accept his challenge in fighting with him in the middle of town, but there was no choice. Kaoru attacked them first, and they had to defend themselves.

"This is getting annoying," Harada grimaced as he tried to aim his spear at the young Oni, who was moving so fast that it was untraceable to the human eye.

"We're drawing too much attention to ourselves," Hijikata spat. "We need to split up." They were nearing a rather wide alleyway, and while he deflected a strike from Kaoru, he moved into the alley with Heisuke and Saito, while Harada, Shinpachi and Souji moved to the next street, forcing Kaoru to have to decide which trio to follow.

They did not need instruction as to where to head to. They needed to exit the town before they cause too much damage. As they ran in parallel lines across the area, gently pushing passers-by out of their way, Kaoru pursued them on the rooftops.

"Tch, that little bastard's fast!" Shinpachi complained as he leapt over a vegetable seller's wares, careful not to destroy anything.

"He's not that good anyways," Souji said, always gauging the proficiency of his opponents, and his judgments were often most accurate. "We just need to find a way to counter his speed…" It was not a good thing at all. No matter how fast they went, they had a sense that Kaoru was still not at his top speed. He was merely playing with them, and would move in for the kill when he was ready.

It took them fifteen minutes to cross from the central part of town to its gates, and once they were a safe distance from the town and its denizens, they got back to back with one another. Men of the Shinsen-Gumi never faced an enemy alone. They were the Wolves of Mibu, they fought in packs.

"All I see is a pack of cornered dogs than wolves," Kaoru jeered. "You think that you can protect one another, but you are only as strong as your weakest link…" His eyes turned to Souji, who was already panting from all the running that they had done. He was only recently given the clean bill of health, and obviously had not returned to his true fighting form yet.

"Hmm, is that a challenge I hear?" Souji asked Kaoru, noting that he was obviously training to break their formation. "I'd like to see what talents a little kid like you can possess…"

As Kaoru started to launch an attack against Souji, Saito stepped between them. A left-handed arc was enough to take Kaoru by surprise, and in his efforts to parry the arc that Saito had made, propelled himself backwards again. It was a perfect show as to how the Shinsen-Gumi had functioned in battle.

"Stand down, or mercy will not be shown to you," Saito warned. "Even if you are Chizuru's brother."

Kaoru was adamant. "You will know the true meaning of pain after I'm done with you, human," he threatened, and got ready for another attack, one that Saito was all too willing to counter yet again. However, just as when steel was going to clash against steel, they heard a shot being fired, and the bullet grazed Kaoru's leg before hitting a nearby tree.

"Shiranui Kyo!" Harada exclaimed, instantly recognizing the one who had opened fire. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I was honestly just passing by when I saw this little rascal trying to give you a hard time," Shiranui answered absently before turning towards Kaoru. "Seriously, is this how the head of the Nagumo clan acts around humans? You're no worse than Kazama is, really."

Kaoru snarled at Shiranui. "You will keep your silence if you know what is best for you," he said, watching his leg stop bleeding as the moments passed. "My dealings with the Shinsen-Gumi are not of your concern."

"I'm sorry to say this, but Sen-hime has ordered that they remain unharmed so long as they bear no ill-will to our people," Shiranui said. "Or a little kid like you can't comprehend the simplest of instructions?"

Hijikata raised an eyebrow. Was Sen-hime really  _that_  influential among the Oni? He knew that she was one of surmountable influence, but he had never known to what extent her influence existed. Now, he had almost a rough idea, and it was not a comforting thought at all, knowing that most of the Oni they had met were all subordinate to her.

"Hmph, very well then," Kaoru said, sheathing his katana. "I shall have to find another way to bring the greatest displeasure to my lovely sister…" Having said this, he disappeared into the wind, as if he never was there in the first place.

"What a strange kid indeed," Shiranui muttered to himself, shaking his head. He then turned towards the Shinsen-Gumi and said, "So, what's a bunch of wolves like yourselves during here so far from Edo and Kyoto? Wait… don't tell me you're after the other Yukimura kid…"

"So what if we are?" Hijikata asked, tired of having Oni trying to stop them at every turn.

"Well, it's not really my bowl to stick my nose in," Shiranui commented. "If you want to get yourselves torn to shreds then be my guests. Not by Kaoru though, he's just too much of a little kid to amount to anything." He looked at each and every one of them and said, "I guess I'll see you when I see you then. Good luck with getting the girl back, although I highly doubt that you can."

With Shiranui gone, they broke their formation and continued on their way. Since they had caused some amount of distress and chaos in town, they knew that they would not be welcomed back, and made no effort to return. It was likely that they would sleep underneath the stars that night, but it did not matter. They were on high alert, knowing that Chizuru had yet another predator after her tail, heading towards Kagoshima at the same time as they were. It only made them want to arrive at the Kazama village faster, to at least warn Chizuru about her crazy older brother.


	23. The Decision

"This girl will be a Seer," one of the Kazama clan elders proclaimed, touching Chizuru's head lightly in order to measure the extent of her abilities. "Her training must commence soon."

Chizuru's eyes widened. "Training?" she asked those around her. "What training?"

Hana smiled and explained. "You must train to isolate those visions of yours," she said. "You must learn to pluck yourself away from what you are seeing at the appropriate time, or you would be lost to the vision that you are seeing."

"She is the only Seer to be born into the Oni clans in a hundred years," the other female declared. "There are none among us who can teach her the skills…"

"I can," Kazama said, breaking the silence. Everyone there knew that Kazama's gifts lied in projection. Not only could he display all that he had seen before to others, he could also maintain such a projection at all times. One of the rare prodigies of Oni powers at a time when even the birth of a new Oni child was a thing of great celebration, he too, had caused a little stir when he conjured his first projection. "The execution of our powers have little differences in them."

"Kazama-san…" Chizuru murmured, not knowing what else to say. It was impossible for her to ask so much of Kazama any more than he had given her, and yet, without any thought, he offered his helping hand again…

The clan elders agreed with Kazama. "Chikage would be a good choice for an instructor indeed," the older of the male elders observed. "Perhaps, with the combination of your powers, the defenses of our clan will greatly increase."

"It is also a good opportunity for the two of you to better understand one another," the last elder said, and sent the two younger ones on their way. "Hana, your grandson has already fallen into the trap that he had set for her," she told Hana. "He cannot already bring himself up."

Hana chuckled, looking at Kazama and Chizuru walk away from them, hand in hand. "And so is the girl," she replied. "She thought that she was going to save her comrades when she agreed to come here with Chikage. It looks as if she would truly secure a husband more than she would secure the safety of her comrades."

The older male elder said, "Reports have reached our ears that the mortals have uncovered Amakusa village on their own merit. It would seem that they would arrive here faster than we have predicted."

"Hana, are you sure that it is wise to allow them to see so many Oni villages and leave with their lives?" the first elder asked Hana. "We cannot risk them exposing the secrets of our kind to the rest of theirs. Our race cannot withstand the blow of genocide at this time."

"They are men of honor," Hana explained to the elders. "Besides, they will not do anything that goes against Chizuru's wishes. They hold her high in their regard, and would do anything to see her smile. Perhaps we could have them swear under pain of death not to reveal our secrets?"

"Would that be enough?" the younger male elder asked again. "They now work for powers higher than they once did in the days of the Bakufu. What if…"

Hana held up a hand, silencing the rest of the elders. "I have a way that will clearly address all your fears," she exclaimed, looking towards volcano near their home. "They will not be allowed to cause harm to  _any_  of our people. You will have to trust me on this, as you always have."

* * *

Having exited the main hall of the Kazama manor, Chizuru asked Kazama, "Did you know that I am a Seer when you first met me?"

"No, but I knew from your Ki that you were exceptionally powerful," Kazama answered truthfully. He remembered being on high alert once he sensed her approaching presence at the Ikedaya Affair. He had thought a great warrior was among the Shinsen-Gumi who had been sent to pursue the warriors of the Choushu-han, and was shocked to see nothing but a teenaged girl dressed as a boy, carrying nothing but a kodachi to defend herself. He had taken a second glance, and a great suspicion was stirred upon looking at the kodachi in her possession. The second time he met her during the Kinmon No Hen, he had successfully seen for himself that she was an Oni, by causing a wild katana to fly to her direction, knowing that it would cut her. There had been blood, but the bleeding stopped almost immediately, and the wound had healed before his eyes. It was the speed of her healing that cemented the fact that she had been his betrothed, hidden in plain sight of the humans, far, far away from the grasp of their people.

Chizuru sighed. She did not know what being a Seer meant at all, but she knew that she would have to start her training soon in order to realize what she really could or could not do. From the Shinsen-Gumi, she knew that Ki was the amount of energy within each and every living being. Those who were able to willing to harness and strengthen their Ki would be undefeated warriors, but she did not know that Ki could even be applied to the Oni and their powers.

"Our people are able to use our Ki in not only combat," Kazama explained to her. "As you know, I am able to create projections of what I have seen before, while most of your clan was able to use theirs to heal wounds and illnesses. But whatever the power is, mastering their use would require a great amount of concentration, and practice."

Kazama had led Chizuru onto the beach following their conversation, where the sun was high above them. They were now sitting on the last days of spring, and in a few more days, the afternoon sun above them would be unforgiving and hot. Casting away their footwear, Kazama brought her into the water, not giving a care that their clothes might be ruined by the seawater. There would always be new ones, as they produced their own silk.

"Close your eyes," Kazama told her, holding her hand in his. "Take a deep breath." Chizuru did exactly as what he said. "What do you hear?"

"The sea, the wind, and you," she answered, trying very hard to close her eyes. She could feel the sea-wind against her cheeks, the coolness of the water around them. Although he was physically close to her, his voice was slightly softer compared to that of the wind and the waves.

After a short pause, he continued, "Focus on my voice, my future wife. Listen to everything I have to say." She felt herself nod, and he let out a soft chuckle, tightening the hold of his hand. "You find yourself now in a green village under snow-capped mountains, covered with trees and countless flowers and herb-gardens. You are walking down a clear stream that cuts through the village. The waters of this stream are said to have powerful healing properties. It was the source of power for the Yukimura clan for many generations…" Was… was he describing her village to her? "Now, open your eyes, and try to see what I've told you."

If Chizuru really was a Seer, than she could have easily seen what he had just told her, without being able to remember it. She would be too young to recall anything anyways, and it would be a definite test of her powers. Taking a deep breath, Chizuru focused her energies on trying to visualize what Kazama had described to her.

Yes, she saw it, she saw the village in exactly the same details, but something more as well. She found herself looking at a butterfly that was not really corporal as if it was made of clouds, flying about a girl that looked very much like her when she was a child. She was chasing it happily, and when it disappeared all of a sudden with a little "pop", she pouted and turned backwards to look at the golden-haired man that casted it in the first place. "Chikage Nii-san, would you please make another for me?" she pleaded him, surprising him to no end. Without saying a word, another butterfly formed at the palm of his hand and it flew past her so that she could chase it again.

This was Kazama back when he was younger, although it was only a short time ago, she could see that his expression was not as hard and imposing, not as stern as he was now… But just as she saw the image of Kazama, everything around her changed again. Kazama and the clear, blue sky had disappeared, and what replaced them was a dark, red sky, fire, smoke and ash. The sounds of cannon-fire started to beckon all around the village, and she saw its denizens running away from it in fear, and soon a few of them were shot down with a mixture of arrows and muskets.

She was seeing the destruction of the Yukimura clan and their village. At the entrance of the largest building, she saw herself running away from the fire, with Kaoru holding her hands, but they were soon separated when the two of them leapt towards separate directions to avoid a falling, burning beam. It was then when the sight of Yukimura Koudou was seen, he had carried her and ran towards safety, although she had been crying for Kaoru.

"Chizuru!" the voice that called her was not Kaoru, but a voice that was more than familiar to her. It was Kazama.

She heard him call her name, his voice nothing more than a whisper, but growing louder as time passed… When she opened her eyes she found him holding her by the upper parts of her arms, as if she was going to fall into the water.

"You must not allow your mind to wander, Chizuru," Kazama warned her once she straightened up. "The longer the vision, the more Ki you will consume, and the harder it is to recover." Her breathing was getting more and more shallow, and he knew that there was no point in asking her to go for another round, since she was clearly winded. Thus, he scooped her into his arms, and walked back towards the beach despite her protests. "I will not have you expire from exhaustion over a thing as trivial as this," he told her when she demanded that she was well enough to go for a second round.

He set her down at her favorite spot, where a great palm tree towered above them. He knew that she loved to listen to the rustle of its long, thin leaves. "How old was I when you came to my family's village?" she asked him when he sat next to her, subconsciously leaning her head on his shoulder. She did not tell him what she had seen following her memory of him in the Yukimura village, for a reason that she did not know herself. The dark parts of her past no longer mattered to her, because they had passed and could no longer harm her.

"You were only three years old," he answered, not even trying to guess what else she had seen. If she found no need to acknowledge it, then there really was no need to do so. "You were so bored during the officiating ceremony of our betrothal that you almost fell asleep, so I decided to find a way for you to stay awake. Whoever knew you got too excited over such a small illusion and started to run out of the hall in pursuit of it."

"Was anyone angry at me?" she enquired further, knowing that Oni ceremonies were solemn and strict with many traditions.

"No," he told her flatly. "They found you utterly adorable while Kaoru sulked in the corner because all their attentions was on you." In fact, he remembered Kaoru throwing so big a tantrum, he had to be removed from the hall even before the ceremony had started. It was a pity that he was already an insufferable bastard ever since childhood.

Chizuru smiled, and said, "Thank you for everything. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known so much about myself… I would have been still afraid of what I am…" She now understood that without those days that she had spent with him, she could not comprehend anything that was out of the ordinary from the eyes of the humans, even down to how quickly she could heal from any injuries. Without him in her life, her past would have just remained as a great, black blur, and not the green village under the mountains as she had recalled.

"You are my future wife, Chizuru," he explained, giving her the simplest of reasons. "What good would it do me if you live a life of sadness?" Although those words seemed selfish on the surface, the meaning that they held was so much more. Kazama Chikage was a man of profound meanings, yet they were never directed towards those around him. He could be driven to words of tenderness, but he would never say them in a manner that meant them outright.

There, they remained, in the company of one another, with only the sea as their witness. The elders were now comfortable enough with Kazama that he would not do anything too… brash unto Chizuru, and no longer required Sayo to act as their chaperone. For the first time in weeks, they were truly alone.

"What I wish from you in return, is the realization that once you have made your choice, you cannot go back," he told her, tipping her chin, his voice regaining all seriousness. "You are still free to choose, but if you decide to leave this village, you would be forsaking our people forever, and even I would not be able to come to you when the hurts of the world grip you. That is the price that you must pay to have a place in the human world."

"That is not what you want of me," Chizuru replied, meeting her large, brown eyes with his ruby ones. It was a gaze that demanded an answer from him, a gaze that told him that she knew that he had been hiding something from her. "You want me to stay here with you, no matter what happens, do you not? Why can't you just say those words? Why do you still let me be so selfish, even when you know that it hurts yourself more than anything?"

Kazama let out a self-berating harrumph. "Once again, you reveal yourself to be more perceptive than you think, my future wife," he praised her softly, tipping her chin. "I did not stop you because I know how deep your bonds with those ennobled peasants are, no matter what I feel for you, I cannot force you to do what you are not willing to do. Perhaps when I brought you here, I felt triumph beyond compare to have plucked you from them before their eyes, but, you were not complete without them by your side." He remembered how greatly she had been gripped with grief after Yukimura Koudou passed on by his hands, and in those days, she was still fearful to place enough trust in him to draw too much comfort from him. It was then when he realized that his efforts alone was not enough. If their union was to be complete, she would have to be willing to accept him as well.

"Kazama-san, it was I that said that I would one day be your wife," she told him, remembering what she had said that night at the Nishi Hongan-ji clearer than anything. "No matter what happens to me, I will fulfill that promise." For the first time in her life, it was she who pressed her lips onto his, she who initiated such an… intimate method of contact between the two of them. She realized that she was a fool, to have made so many delays before realizing that the man before her was the man that had never once let go of her from the very moment she first took his hand. It was he who drew her into the light, while others had only made her days in the darkness a little more bearable. "I… I want to stay here with you, Kazama-san."

Heaving a sigh of relief, Kazama drew her deeper into his arms. "You have made me wait too long to hear those words, my future wife," he whispered into her ear, and locked her lips in another kiss, one that threatened to shatter the world many times over. It was his way of telling her that he was actually overjoyed to hear her speak those words that he had made him the happiest man upon this great earth many times over. In the days that they have spent together, he had come to realize that she was more than what she seemed to be.

Although he had once saw her as a fool for taking protection under the hands of useless, war-like humans, he realized that as an Oni who had been raised in the human world, it was only natural for her to cling onto them as she did. He had meant every word that the existence of the Shinsen-Gumi would only hide her brilliance, and he was right. Ever since he had removed her from the gilded cage they built around her, she had only displayed herself to be more than just a woman of courage, which had been so abundantly evident even from the start, but one of confidence, and great insight, all qualities that he found admirable, worthy of great respect.

She was still young, and she would have to take many years more to grow and mature into an even formidable person, but for now, she was doing tremendously well for herself, and he would be by her side, making sure that she did not veer too far off course. He would be by her side, to be with her in anger, sadness or joy, and he would not allow her to leave his, no matter who dared to try to pry her away from him.

"I will allow only you to remain by my side," he told her once they lips had parted, gasping and panting for breath. Their foreheads met, and he saw her smiling, a smile that he knew was his and his alone. "Do not ever think of leaving again, my future wife." He paused for a moment, and tipped her chin again. "There is also one thing that I would have you do, to celebrate this joyous occasion."

"What is it?" she asked him, her eyes widening with curiosity, as they had always done.

"If we are truly to be equals, I will have you call my name, Chizuru," Kazama said. "Only my name, without any senseless honorifics."

Chizuru blushed at such a request and did as he requested. "Chikage…" she murmured, strangely enjoying how easily his name rolled off her tongue.

"Soon, you will get used to it and you will rue the day you will be unable to call me," Kazama said, and helped her to stand up. The sun was setting soon, and dinner would be served. His grandmother, although kindly and gentle, never tolerated late-comers at dinner, no matter who they were.


	24. The Converging Paths

No matter how you turned the story, Nagumo Kaoru would always remember the day the Yukimura village was destroyed as the day that cursed his life forever. But when he was growing up, that one act of war at the hands of the Imperialist factions against his clan would always be used as a cautionary tale to all those who knew it. Oni would use it to warn one another of the risks in dealing with humans while the humans would use it against the Oni to remind them effects of ignoring their requests for an alliance.

The Tosa-han jumped at the opportunity to join the Imperialist Sat-Chou Alliance, and although they did not play a prominent role in the previous conflict, they had demanded that the Nagumo clan join their ranks, and even before the Tosa-han's top officials needed to threaten the clan elders, Kaoru was offered into their hands. He was not a Nagumo to begin with, although they had raised him to be their clan-leader due to his pure Oni blood. He was not a girl, seen to be precious assets in their race neither. He was expandable, and so, completely welcome on the battlefield.

It was when he was spying on the Shinsen-Gumi did he encounter a kindred spirit that he had never thought to see again. His twin sister, Chizuru. She had been trapped with the dogs of the Bakufu, the Shinsen-Gumi, who had thought themselves wolves. He had encountered two of them, Captains of the 2nd and 3rd Divisions of the Shinsen-Gumi, Okita Souji and Saito Hajime, and realized that at the time, Okita had a great secret that he was hiding. Among them, his sister was no prisoner. She was a friend, perhaps something even more. She was cherished, and she was loved, while he had been despised and grudgingly taken in.

As a spy for the Tosa-han, his duties were to ensure that opportune moments were presented to his faction. It was to this end that he had encountered a meeting between the powerful Sen-hime, an Oni of noble blood, Kazama Chikage along with his band of followers from the Western Oni clans. It seemed like it was true that each major faction in the Imperialist forces had one or two warriors from the Oni clans that they had sheltered, and it was at that meeting when he gave Kazama a clear warning that Chizuru was his to protect, and his alone. He had thought that the warning and the display of the katana that belonged to the head of the Yukimura clan was enough to scare him off, but he was badly mistaken.

The discovery of Yukimura Koudou and his Rasetsu provided a temporary relief. He had met Chizuru's adoptive father during a secret meeting between the Imperialist forces, and realized that there was potential for the Yukimura clan to rise again using the Rasetsu armies for their cause, but the Choushu-han were not willing to fully utilize them, and instead, issued Yukimura Koudou an order to lead them in the auxiliary ranks of the Sat-Chou Alliance. It was an utter waste that Koudou and the Rasetsu were completely annihilated by forces unknown to the Tosa-han until this day.

Having put onto the backburner, Kaoru set out to do greater things. He was the one who suggested to the Goryo Eiji to assassinate Kondou Isami just days before the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. It should have been a success if the fools there did not have a shaky arm, and the bullet only hit his shoulder. The head of the Shinsen-Gumi survived, and the protectors of his adorable twin sister still functioned as a whole despite the setback.

Having wanting to gloat about his little triumph to his sister, he had arrived at the headquarters of the Shinsen-Gumi only to realize that she was moved to the hands of Kazama Chikage. Although he had little memory of Kazama, he remembered seeing him at their village for whatever reason, and spent days searching for the Kazama manor in Kyoto. He had found it in the chaos of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, shortly after convincing the Yodo-han to switch sides and found his adorable sister gripped in concern and fear.

He had thought that he could have had her back if Kazama did not show up and ruin his plans. Defeated by the older and more powerful Oni, he had no choice but to retreat. He swore that he would kill Kazama for daring to take his sister away from him, and kill him he would.

It was a good thing that Kaoru had been to the relocated Kazama village, when it was not the primary dwelling of the Kazama clan, when he was but a child on a trading mission between the Kazama clan and the Nagumo clan, exchanging Kazama teas for tuna caught in the fishing-ships of the Nagumo clan. How… ironic that an outsider would actually be privy to the knowledge of the location to the epicenter of a clan whose defenses relied on the secrecy of their dwellings.

Knowing that there would be no place else for Chizuru to be, Kaoru made his way towards Kagoshima city, which was the closest city to the Kazama village. Little did he realize that he would have met the men of the Shinsen-Gumi, six of them in total, who had been going after Chizuru was well. He had tried to strike them down one by one, and would have succeeded if not for Shiranui Kyo, who was just "happened" to pass by. He had sworn that he would have his retribution yet again.

Now, Nagumo Kaoru was at a crossroads, or rather, he was facing two enemies. One of them was Kazama Chikage, who seemed to have somehow conned the various Oni clans that Chizuru was his betrothed, that their union had been officiated years ago, before the Yukimura clan was destroyed, and the Shinsen-Gumi, who would fight anyone to get her back into their arms.

Deep down inside of him, he realized that he wanted his sister back, not because he loved her, or cared for her. He had watched her for so long in the shadows, because he was planning how best to give her the greatest torment. They were twins, and they should have lived the same lives, but yet, Chizuru had received the better end of the stick. She was beloved by all, while he, he was thrown out to do everyone's dirty work, abused since childhood and used in any way he could be used. He wanted more than anything to have her feel the pain that he had went through, just because the Nagumo clan had retrieved the wrong Yukimura twin.

His plan was simple. Yukimura Koudou might have been dead, but his secrets were not. Carefully, he played with the two vials in his hands. One carried a liquid that was red as blood, and the other, water, clean and pure – derived from the streams and rivers from the Yukimura village. Its structures and families might have been gone, but its waters still ran true…

With these, he would hit his dear sister, and inflict upon her a wound that could never really heal, no matter how powerful she was in the reckoning of their people.

* * *

"Kaoru… is heading here," Chizuru told Kazama over breakfast after a long pause. He had seen her eyes grow cloudy, and he kept his silence, wanting to see if she could already apply whatever he had taught her during her training with him. It seemed that she was already able to pluck herself from her visions…

Kazama put down his chopsticks and looked towards Chizuru. "Are you certain?" he asked her. Since he had begun teaching her to use her powers, she was having reasonable progress, but still… He saw the confident, resolute furrow of her brow, displayed only when she was determined to exert great effort, and he knew that she was at least sure of what she had seen.

Chizuru nodded her head. "Yes, but I don't know why he's coming," she sighed. Ever since she knew that he was her twin brother she… felt strange. There was no connection between them, no kinship, just an empty space, formed by time and distance. She had not expected to know about his existence, but when he revealed himself, he had come with katana in hand, ready to strike. He had told her disturbing news of the war, and nothing else, as if he knew that the information would somehow bring fear into her heart…

Kazama went over to her side and patted her head. "You have done well to inform me, my future wife," he told her, and went on to continue their meal, which was eaten now in silence. At that point of time, he did not know how great a threat Nagumo Kaoru was, or even if he was actually a threat. Past experience had told him that Kaoru was nothing more than a child who was angry at the world because everything had run its course in a way that was unfavorable to him, while at the same time, he realized that this was the individual who managed to coax the Yodo-han out of his neutrality and the one who convinced the remaining members of the Goryou Eiji to shoot Kondou Isami down…

"Chikage, I want to help you," Chizuru said when the maids had come to clear the room after breakfast was done. He had made for the villages defenses, and they were the only things that she had not been familiarized with. "Kaoru is my brother… I…"

"But before that he is the leader of the Nagumo clan, and I will not tolerate any hostility from him to that of mine," Kazama returned, his voice emphasizing the seriousness of the matter. "This matter has to be held with great tact and caution at the same time."

Chizuru had known him long enough to understand that he meant that he would not lift a finger onto Kaoru unless he gave him any reason to. "What are you going to do?" she asked him, suddenly feeling her heart thumping and thumping without pause, as she looked at him deliberating his answer.

"I will wait until he dares to show his face in our lands," Kazama said. "I leave to see to our defenses."

"I'm coming with you!" she exclaimed, making it clear that she refused to have "no" for an answer.

Kazama sighed, and said, "You are stubborn as ever, my future wife. Come then, do not delay my progress." He realized that by allowing Chizuru to go with him, he would be placing a great trust in her, revealing the village's defenses to her. It was a risk that he willingly took, because he knew that she was trustworthy enough to be privy to such sensitivities, and if she was truly to be his wife, she would know them sooner or later.

Eagerly, Chizuru took his hand as they left the manor, and he brought her to areas that she had not even been before. Their first stop was the western base of the volcano. In that area was a little house, hidden as a tool-shack, with only a straw mat, a table and a few windows. Removing the straw mat, Kazama revealed a flight of stairs that led underground, and brought Chizuru carefully down.

There, three adult Oni, two males and one female were in deep concentration. They were seated in a circle, their hands joined, and in the circle of that circle was an ofuda that was glowing blue… So this was how the Kazama clan protected its village, by a series of well-ventilated underground tunnels that were somehow linked to the village…

"The illusionists are trained since the day their powers emerge," Kazama explained to Chizuru very softly. "There are 12 of them working at each time, at the four corners of the village, and each shift lasts for four hours. That meant that there were at least 288 illusionists at any time in this village." The Kazama village was the largest of the Oni villages in the western territories of Japan, but even at that scale, to have close to 300 individuals with Oni powers was already a great number. It was then of little surprise that the Kazama clan was one of the most powerful Oni clans.

"So… they focus their power on these ofuda?" Chizuru asked Kazama. "Where is it made?"

"From within the volcano," Kazama told her, leading her up the stairs again, leaving the illusionists to their work. They came to a path up the volcano, and he brought her into a doorway that had been carved into the side of the volcano. "Centuries ago, my ancestors discovered that this volcano had some form of protective qualities over the land. In ancient times, its eruptions brought forth lava that made our soil fertile and our waters rich with minerals. However, that was not all. This volcano itself gave protection to all those who hid behind it, and when my ancestors realized it, they made ofuda from the rocks formed from its solidified lava which would glow blue when they are exposed to the Ki of our people."

To demonstrate his point, Kazama cut off a piece of the volcanic rock from what seemed to be a great river of lava with his katana and held it in his hand. Closing his ruby eyes, he focused his Ki on the rock and made it glow blue. "It can only be done by those who have been born to this land," he continued, "or, have lived here long enough."

Chizuru was dumbfounded. It was as if the land itself sought to protect its children, as if nature itself was sentient. "So that's why those who have not seen this village cannot enter it," she concluded from Kazama's words. "It is not protected by physical objects or warriors, but by the land, and its people."

Kazama nodded. "Perhaps Mother Nature cares for the humans in her own way, but they are too young and foolish a race to hear her cries," he told her. "But I must stress the importance that you  _cannot_  reveal all that I have shown you today to any outsider. I tell you this, because you have chosen to remain by my side. When we're married, half of the responsibility of maintaining these defenses will fall to you, Chizuru. You must understand them all if you are to make sure that they do not fall in the face of any intruders."

"Thank you for trusting me," she replied, and allowed themselves a private embrace, even though they were in sacred ancestral vaults. Kazama smiled, and held her close to him. Once again, it had been proven that her coming into his life was not mere coincidence. If she could warn him of Kaoru's coming, she would certainly be able to aid him in the future to prevent further dangers to the village.

"Now come, we must make arrangements for the arrival of your brother," he told her when they parted. "He would be an honored guest here, so long as he tries to behave himself."

* * *

The men of the Shinsen-Gumi were now boarded on a large ferry that would bring them from the edge of the mainland onto the island of Kyushu. It had been the 18th day of their journey, and on their way, they had uncovered two more Oni-protected villages other than Amakusa village.

"There seems to be a pattern here," Hijikata said, running his finger down the line the map, indicating where they had found the Oni villages. "These villages follow a straight line down, leading straight to Kagoshima."

Kimigiku had indicated to them that the seat of the Kazama clan was in Kagoshima city, the heart of the Satsuma-han, and not only that, it was one of the largest Oni villages in Japan, while the Oni leaders whose villages were uncovered by them told them that its defenses were nigh impregnable.

"What about this area here?" Souji asked, pointing at the volcano, Sakurajima and its surrounding lands. The volcano seemed to be an island within Kagoshima Bay. On the map, the Kazama village was indeed shown to be to the south of Kagoshima city, but volcano was still to the west of the village. They knew that they could not rely on that location, because every Oni they had encountered told them that it had been already moved.

Harada bit his lip. "But it says here that there are only farms and plantations there," he broke in. "Does that bastard have any use agriculture at all?" Now that they were nearing Satsuma-han, they had resorted using code-names lest they were overheard by spies. The "bastard" was Kazama, naturally, while the "kid" was Chizuru. "I don't think that he brought the kid all the way here just to help him grow vegetables."

"They must need it to remain self-sufficient," Saito reasoned. He then pointed to the areas where Souji had indicated to. "Usually the lands that surround a volcano are highly fertile, and thus, are able to support a large number of people." The map did not indicate any habitations on the island that the volcano was on, but from what they knew, the volcano had been dormant for many centuries. It would not erupt any time soon, and was still a safe haven for those who would seek protection. "If they want no more dealings with the humans, then they must grow their own food…"

Heisuke raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't it mean that the village would actually would run from here to here?" he asked, tracing the portion of the volcanic island with the greatest width. "That's not a village… that's a small town."

"A small town that's probably filled with enough warriors to take us down at any second, if they're all like that bastard," Shinpachi said, intentionally introducing the fearful possibility into their minds.

"I'd doubt so," Hijikata said, taking a piece of paper and writing on it with a piece of charcoal. "Look at this." He had written the names of Chizuru, Sen-hime and Kazama on it and passed it around. "What do you see?"

Souji smirked. "They all have the character 千on their names," he answered in an intentionally nonchalant tone.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Heisuke asked, scratching his head as he looked at the three names. He could not understand what Hijikata was trying to get across at all.

Saito had the answer. "These are the names of Oni clan leaders," he said. "That is why Sen-hime's words are law to the Oni…"

"…and why that bastard is so strong, even more than one who fights with his fists and the one with the pistols," Hijikata finished for Saito. "This means that the bastard has been  _trained_  to fight, and probably why he wants the kid to be his wife, because she's a clan leader too."

"Hijikata-san, you've been putting a lot of thought into this, haven't you?" Harada asked Hijikata. It was a rhetorical question, of course. Hijikata was never one who would leave facing their enemies to chance. He would have wanted to understand everything and anything about them before attacking.

"I intend to succeed in this venture, Sanosuke," he answered. "By the time we reach Kagoshima, we'll head for that village and bring her back for sure." He was not speaking only for himself, he was speaking for all of them.

They would not fail.

They  _could_  not fail.


	25. The Bonds Between Them

Hijikata could not sleep, and found himself wandering around the ship, and made his way to the stern. It was much warmer in the south-west of Japan, much warmer than the climate in Edo or Kyoto, and much more humid. Could that kid even get used to such a weather, living in such a hot summer, what more near a volcano?

They would reach the harbor at Kagoshima Bay in the morning, and their quest would almost be complete. But for some reason, he could not help but feel like there was something at bay, a deep, foreboding feeling that settled in his gut. That feeling had been there ever since they, the idiotic bunch of kenjutsu fanatics from the Shieikan in Edo had become the Mibu Roshigumi, and following the assassination… no, the passing of Serizawa Kamo, being renamed the Shinsen-Gumi, and ever since finding that kid and bringing her into their ranks, had increased greatly. For a time, that feeling was dulled, following the successes of their little organization, but it somehow returned.

"Hijikata-san, what's bothering you?" Souji asked him as he emerged from the shadows. "You don't have to stay up late with all that useless paper work anymore, so there's no reason for you to be up so late, is there?"

"Oh, it's you, Souji," Hijikata said, quickly coming out of the burrows of his thoughts.

"Hijikata-san, you didn't hear a word of what I said, didn't you?" Souji asked him teasingly, chuckling when Hijikata tried to dispel his claims. "You know, everyone here knows that the Oni Fukuchou is actually an act you put on to have us toe the line."

"You didn't come here to tell me this, didn't you, Souji?" Hijikata asked him in return. If it went without saying that Souji had looked upon Kondou as a cross between an older brother, father and close uncle in one, then Hijikata would be his strict, brother who cared too much about him although he refused to show it. The countless fights and arguments between them, all made in Souji's humor, were a testament to their strange, but close relationship. "Speak your mind."

Souji sighed. "Always direct to the point, aren't you?" he commented, looking towards the stars. "Ne… Hijikata-san, what did you want to gain coming on this… adventure?"

Hijikata knew that the answer to this question was not simple at all. Just to get Chizuru back from Kazama was not enough, it had been their common goal, but it was a weak one. That point had been established the very moment they stepped away from Edo, with enough time to turn back on their quest. But they still continued. "Perhaps, I wanted to see if that I wasn't too late," he said after a long pause. He loved her, that miraculous girl. She was already gone when he realized how much she had needed her, when he realized that ever since she came into their lives, she had been supporting him, and the rest of them with that small frame of hers. He had made the greatest mistake in his life, and he feared that he would reap the payments of his mistake soon enough.

"You were a blind fool," Souji told him bluntly. "But I'm glad that you can see again. As for me… I don't think that even if she came back with us, she'd end up with me…" He raised his hand forwards, as if he was reaching for the wind. "I'm fine now, but who knows, what would happen in the future? I don't have the heart to make her a young widow. She's too adorable, and too lonely as it is."

"Souji…" Hijikata admonished Souji for saying such blatantly pessimistic and inauspicious words. Souji acted as if his tuberculosis had been a weird flu, and thus he and Kondou put it to the way he wanted it to be. Kondou had been moved to tears to know that Souji was cleared of the sickness, and he had been elated, but still… if Souji himself thought it to be this way, then, there was no way around it. Souji was a warrior, a damned good one at that, and he knew the limitations of his own body better than anyone. He was not even surprised when Matsumoto told him that he had contracted the life-threatening disease, taking it as a fact, and not a curse. "Then why did you come along?"

Souji chuckled. "I wanted to make sure that she's happy," he replied in his usual manner. "I'd shred that bastard into meat-strips and feed them to the rest of his clan for dinner if I see a frown on her face when we get there." More than anything, he knew that Chizuru deserved some measure of happiness after all that she had been through, all that she had weathered with them. He wanted to tease her one last time, with one of his bad jokes, and see her honey-colored eyes widen with untold anger, although she had been too socialized as a demure Japanese girl to act on her frustration. "Frankly, I'd rather you than anyone to win her heart, if I couldn't do it."

Hijikata let out a bitter chuckle. "You always say the strangest things, Souji," Hijikata said, looking at Souji. There was once upon a time when he relied on Souji to do what he could not in the name of the Shinsen-Gumi, and now, Souji was returning the favor. That gesture in and of itself was enough to cripple a man with honor and a happiness that only brothers in arms could realize.

"That's because you always expect the impossible," Souji returned. "Not only from us, but from yourself. If she wasn't here in those years when we just started to get busy… you would've burned out from exhaustion."

"Shut up, Souji," Hijikata exclaimed, a typical reaction whenever Souji said something particularly poignant. "Go on, have some rest. I'll be coming behind you." As he shooed Souji away, he could not help but to turn to look across the horizon. It was still pitch dark, but he could already make out the lines that was Sakurajima, the volcano which they had suspected sheltered the Kazama clan. In a small voice, he sent a prayer to her. "We are already close to you, Chizuru, wait for us."

* * *

Tears streamed down Chizuru's eyes when she removed herself from her vision. She had thought to check the progress of the Shinsen-Gumi, because Amagiri had joined them during dinner and told them that they had already crossed the borders of the Satsuma-han, and had already revealed all of the Oni villages along their path.

Kazama was silent, and Hana looked strangely pleased. She quickly finished dinner and retired to her room with Sayo, saying nothing. Kazama made no effort to follow her, knowing that she needed the moment to herself, but stood outside her door in case she needed him.

She did not imagine that she could see Hijikata and Souji so clearly, the both of them bathed in moonlight and crowned like the stars, like they had been when she first met them. They talked to one another, and from Hijikata… she now knew that his love for her had existed for a long, long time… She was not crying because of the lost time between them. There was no longer any need for her to look towards the past when she had an infinite future before her. She was crying because it was only until then did she realize how much she missed them, just being around with them. She even missed Souji's terrible jokes, because it had been all she had.

The door opened and Sayo admitted Kazama in. She remained at the doorway, behind the silken screen that separated the entrance and the rest of the room. A great sakura tree was embroidered onto the screen at her request, with white and pink flowers, just like the one at the Nishi Hongan-ji, and under it, a red rose, so red that it seemed to be burning. At the corner of her eye, Chizuru could see Kazama, because of his fair coloring, and she turned towards him when he sat next to her.

"You are a strange woman indeed, my future wife," he told her, bringing an arm around her shoulders. He realized that it was how she liked him to hold her best, because she could rest her head on his shoulders, a gesture that brought her great comfort. "Your ennobled peasants and your brother are coming. This should be a reunion that would make you so happy that you cannot sleep, and yet, your tears are not of joy."

She did not respond, but continued to sob silently. Her strength was reserved for the world, for those around her, but it had never been for herself. "Chikage…" she murmured, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as well, continuing to cry. His yukata was now soaked, and he could feel her hot tears on his skin, as they had seeped through the fabrics of thin silk. "I'm so sorry…"

"There is no need to apologize, Chizuru," he told her, kissing her forehead lightly. "Not all tears are evil." This would not be the only time that he would allow her to borrow his strength. He would do so for all eternity if need be. Gently, he cradled her, and until her tears had dried, not because she was feeling better, but because she had no more of them to cry with. Moving towards the basin of water that was always kept in her room, he dipped the cotton cloth laid next to the basin into the water and wrung it until it was only slightly damp. When he returned, he gently wiped her tear-stained face. "Your eyes are swollen, my future wife."

It was now hard for Chizuru to even blink. She let Kazama carry her onto her futon, watched by Sayo. As he pulled her blanket over her, she put her hand on his. "Stay with me, please," she pleaded, holding onto him for dear life.

He nodded. "I'll stay until you fall asleep," he told her softly. She closed her eyes, and soon enough, she was already sleeping. Gently, he put down her hand and went on his way. There were many preparations to be done, for the arrival of the leader of another clan was to be celebrated with a decent amount of pomp, even if he had not announced his arrival. If the Shinsen-Gumi would be there at the same time, then… it would do his clan no good to forget to provide them the hospitality they deserved as his guests.

He was met his grandmother at the hallway once all the arrangements for the coming morning had been made. "She loves you more than she herself knows," Hana told her grandson, gesturing towards Chizuru's room. "You have done well, Chikage."

"She is the only woman I allow to reveal her fears and pain to me," Kazama replied. "There will be no other." His words made his grandmother smile. Deep down, he knew that Hana had never expected him to secure a wife so that their clan would have a new heir, she had wanted him to marry to have someone to love him. She was more than happy for Chizuru and her grandson to have found one another.

"But a storm is coming," Hana continued. "I feel it in my old bones, Chikage. That Nagumo boy, he seeks to do great evil…"

"I will kill him if he dares to do anything to us," Kazama swore. "He will not be allowed to touch any one of you."

Hana nodded, and squeezed her grandson's shoulder. "While Chizuru carries only the light in her heart, her twin carries hatred and malice. It is beyond my power to know his designs, but I fear for you and our people. Chikage, promise me that you will not do anything too foolish." She knew that her grandson would have already sensed it, that foreboding shadow that seemed to be nearing their lands. The Yukimura clan was indeed a wondrous family, able to produce a pair of twins on the opposite ends of every single variable. Perhaps the only similarity that Kaoru and Chizuru had, was that they shared almost the same face.

"I swear," Chikage reassured his grandmother. The promise of an Oni was final. He would see it done, no matter what. "Nothing will happen to us, not to our family or Chizuru."

"Then go and see to it that you are well-rested," Hana told him with a smile. "You cannot run on borrowed energy. You are far too grumpy when you lack sleep."

* * *

The port of Kagoshima Bay was nothing like the men of the Shinsen-Gumi had ever seen before. Where Edo Bay and Osaka Bay were filled with a mixture of Japanese and Western ships, all armed and dangerous, with a few trading and fishing ships between them, Kagoshima Bay was the exact opposite. There were a mixture of Japanese and ships from China and Korea, sometimes even the lands further south. There, there were more trading and fishing ships than there were armed naval vessels, and the iron-clad Western vessels were rarely seen.

It was said that the Satsuma-han, although not the richest domain, but still one of the richest, had secretly traded with foreign merchants even when the gates of trade had been closed before the arrival of the Black Ships. It was so far away from the control of the Shogun in Edo, that its Daimyo could do everything they wanted to unnoticed. Now, the supposed smuggling was now open and legal trade, and business went about as usual.

When they disembarked their ferry, Heiskue gave himself a long, long stretch. "It's good to have a nice, open space to walk on!" he announced.

"Heisuke, you've only just been cooped on that ferry for two days," Shinpachi said, giving Heisuke a good, hard smack on the back to throw him off balance. "You're such a wimp."

"Shinpat-san, that was too evil of you!" Heisuke shouted.

"Will you please be quiet?" Hijikata shouted louder, actually garnering the attention of the passersby around them. He cleared his throat and said, "We're attracting far too much attention to ourselves."

Having sobered up from their previous antics, Heisuke and Shinpachi drooped their shoulders and hung their heads low, walking as if they were criminals ready to be executed. Harada and Souji could not help but laugh inwardly, while Saito shook his head.

"This season's daikon sure are expensive, aren't they?" they heard a woman complain to the vegetable seller. "I'm sure that they cost two mon less last year."

The vegetable seller smiled sheepishly. "We don't really have a choice, madam, not since the plantations of the Kazama clan were moved."

"I wonder where they went, really," the woman replied. "They provided such good produce, it's impossible that they went out of business with the war going on…"

Another woman then whispered to the two of them, "I heard that the young master of the Kazama clan was involved in the war," she said in a low voice, but not low enough to be undetected. "He wasn't seen around here much since the war started, wasn't he?"

"Could the Bakufu have eradicated the Kazama family?" the first woman asked, but the vegetable seller disagreed with her.

"Can't be that. Didn't the Emperor announced that there would be a pardon for everyone involved in the war?" the vegetable-seller corrected. "But it's not only the daikon plantations that were gone. It seems like the entire clan disappeared like a cloud of smoke!"

"Ah, yes, yes! My cousin passed by the beach their manor used to be in, and he told me that everything's gone!"

The Shinsen-Gumi soon got too far from the conversation to glean anything, but what seemed to be market-place gossip actually brought a wealth of information to them. They decided to split up. Saito and Souji would go forwards to look for an inn for them to stay and act as a temporary base, while the rest of them prowled the market place.

They met up again in an hour and a half, at an inn right beside a tea-shop that sold sweets as well.

"Looks like that bastard's family is quite influential here," Souji commented, looking out the window, towards the market place.

"It is a surprise that they actually dictate the prices of vegetables," Saito added. "The inflation at Kagoshima must have risen then."

"We're not here to discuss economics," Hijikata instructed. "Shinpachi, Sanosuke, tell them what we've found."

They had bought a recently updated map, one without the Kazama manor and its surrounding estates. "Well, people used to go up Sakurajima for little day trips, but since somewhere in winter, everything disappeared," Harada reported, bringing a magnifying glass to the image of Sakurajima. "There used to be inns with onsen, and walking trails and shrines, but they're all gone."

"People who go there now only say that they see the volcano and nothing else," Shinpachi added.

"That's strange," Heisuke said. "When we went into those crazy villages, we could see everything except the houses and the people in them." The Oni villages, although well-hidden, could not be wholly erased from any area. There would always be something, a magical Oni object that placed some sort of net around the area, making it invisible to outsiders.

Harada sighed. "There's more," he continued. "That bastard's family is actually quite popular with the people. They don't really know that they're Oni, but they've been in Kagoshima long enough to have an alliance with the Shimazu clan." The Shimazu clan were the family of the daimyo that ruled the Satsuma-han. It was interesting news indeed. "The daimyo granted the bastard the volcano and its surrounding lands just before we set out from Edo, but at that time, no one knew why."

"Should we pay a visit to the daimyo then?" Saito suggested.

"It's safer if we keep a low profile," Hijikata stressed. Although they were the agents of the Bakufu, the Shinsen-Gumi were widely celebrated following the ending of the war, for their deeds of bravery and courage. "We don't want to make more enemies than we should."

"Understood," Saito replied, and focused on the map. "Sano, Shinpachi, is there anyone that will carry us towards the volcano?"

Shinapchi nodded. "We can just hop onto any fishing boat since it's quite near," he answered. "But, finding anything there, and the defenses of the village would be near impossible if no one can  _see_  anything there."

"Isn't this a little too much of a bother?" Souji commented, shaking his head. "Hijikata-san, what brilliant ideas do you have to share with us?"

"I think that the defenses of that bastard's village aren't like that of the other crazy villages," Hijikata answered. "The rest of them were based around this magical… er… thing, so we could easily find them, and the villagers would have no choice to reveal themselves to us. What if… and I know that this is a wild guess even for me… that the bastard somehow uses Ki itself to hide the village?"

Harada raised an eyebrow. "Didn't the fist-fighter's brother use his own Ki to power that ofuda in his village?" he asked Hijikata. "That bastard isn't really  _that_  powerful is he?" By then, they had already learned that the difference between Oni and humans without accounting for lifespan, was that they could apply their Ki in numerous ways out of combat, which somehow contributed to their speedy healing. "Hiding a whole village must've sucked him dry!"

"Or rather… he uses other people to do it for him," Souji continued Hijikata's speculation. "A whole team of cousins employed just to cast the illusion…"

"So how do we break it?" Heisuke asked. "We can't really break the illusion if we can't find the people casting it in the first place…"

A silence dawned upon the men of the Shinsen-Gumi. They did not realize how close they were from the truth, but at the same time, it was the truth that they could not achieve one half of the task without completing the other. They needed a miracle to reveal the Kazama village, and they needed it in the shortest time-frame possible.

Knowing that there was nothing more they could do, they decided to retire until it was dinner time. They needed their rest from a long day navigating through a new city. Hijikata, on the other hand, decided to take a break at the inn's courtyard.

In that moment, Hijikata could not help but feel that something, or rather, someone was watching them. A presence, a gust of Ki that was explosively powerful, but at the same time, one that could not have belonged to warriors like them. It was a presence he knew. He looked around him, and found nothing. He must be tired from their long journey, he deemed.

"Hijikata-san…"

Chizuru… It was Chizuru! He was sure that he had heard her voice, but when he turned around, there was nothing, only the rustle of the leaves of the nearby tree in the wind. She was not there at all, she never was.

* * *

In the Kazama manor, Chizuru once again found herself looking at the men of the Shinsen-Gumi. For some unknown reason, she called out to Hijikata, she never knew that he would turn around. For that briefest second, it seemed like they were truly meeting one another face to face.

She was glad that they made it to Kagoshima safely, and would await the day they would arrive at the Kazama village. She missed them too much, and she had a great many things to tell them all, especially Hijikata.


	26. The Arrival

They were wet.

Sand was everywhere.

The men of the Shinsen-Gumi were miserable.

Heisuke spit out a mouthful of seawater and rolled onto the sand. "This… has… to be the… cruelest joke… ever…" he complained, spreading his arms and legs.

"Whoever knew that the blasted boat would just disappear just like that?" Harada replied, propping himself up while he observed Hijikata who was next to him. The Oni Fukuchou laid flat on the beach, half covered in sand, and half submerged by the coming waves. It took him a few seconds to rise, and when he did, he was cursing so much that he was sure to have made even the most uncouth of men blush in embarrassment.

Saito was already standing. There were bits of sand all over his clothes, but he did not seem to mind. "It must be that bastard's doing," he said, helping Souji to rise while Shinpachi went to assist Hijikata.

Needless to say, they had immediately regretted their decision to rent a decent-sized row-boat and manually transported themselves from Kagoshima Bay to Sakurajima in an utterly ungodly hour, a few hours away from the dawn. They had wanted to arrive at the volcanic island before anyone noticed their arrival, as was the plan, but did not expect their boat to somehow vanish from existence after they passed a certain rock, leaving them no choice but to swim ashore.

"Hijikata-san looks like he's  _really_  going to kill someone," Souji commented, although he was wheezing slightly. "Well, we're all lucky that we are able to swim… somewhat…"

It took them longer than they realized to fully recover from the shock of falling into the freezing water, and when they had collected their senses, and calmed themselves down, Hijikata said, "Let's make a move, someone must've seen us."

"Who knows, we might even be at the edge of the village now," Shinpachi said optimistically. They were on the southern shore of the island, guessing that the eastern shore would be one of the main entrances to the village, as it was closest to Kagoshima Bay.

In fact, Shinpachi's guess was wrong. There was no sign of life on the area of the island where they had set foot. Making their way inland, they could only sense the faintest signs of Ki. Hijikata looked up towards the volcano and steeled his nerves. They had been through so much to reach this place, and they would make sure that they at least caught sight of Chizuru before they left.

* * *

Chizuru woke up with a start. Bolting from her futon, she could sense the presence of Ki that she was most familiar with. The Ki of warriors, warriors that she knew. Without a moment to waste, she washed up for the morning and got dressed, rushing out of her room even before Sayo had the chance to greet her.

"Chizuru, where are you going?" Hana, who was already taking a stroll in the gardens asked her the moment she saw the girl wearing her sandals, moving towards the southern ends of the village.

"They're here!" she exclaimed after giving a quick bow to Hana. For some reason, she could not take another step forwards, even as she made to turn away from Hana, to run to the direction where she sensed the presence of the men she had longed to see the most. Her heart was racing, and she thought she would have run with all her speed to meet them, but somehow, she stopped.

Hana just looked upon her with a confused expression. "What is wrong, child?" she asked Chizuru with concern, because the girl looked strangely out of sorts, as if her hesitation was a few moments too long.

"I… I don't know if I should see them… now," Chizuru answered, as her breathing gently normalized. Kazama had trusted her with the locations of the safe-houses where the illusionists were housed, and in whole, the defenses of the village, and if she met them halfway through their journey into the village, she would  _have_  to lead them around those defenses. She would have to betray her promise to Kazama.

Once again, Hana felt herself utterly blessed to have a person like Chizuru by her grandson's side. "Then do what you think is right," she told the girl. Chizuru had grown tremendously ever since she had reached their village, and like any proud observer, Hana was happy for that growth. It only meant great things for the future, not only for their clan, but the rest of their community as well. She was the proof that even being raised in the human world, that she could be trustworthy, honorable and loyal, even with her allegiances in utter disarray.

"Hai," Chizuru said, and returned into the manor. She did not know that on the veranda, Kazama had seen everything. In fact, he had wanted to inform her of the arrival of the Shinsen-Gumi, but somehow, she had already known. Approaching her room from a different direction, he watched her dash out of, only to stop in the garden when she met his grandmother. He heard everything in their conversation, and had to admit that he had not expected such a reaction from her at all.

When she was within reach, he pulled her into his arms. "You have done me a great service, Chizuru," he told her, not intending to hide his fascination at her decision. He knew that she could have just made it towards Hijikata and the rest of those ennobled peasants, but she did not. It was at this time when he realized that he could not love her more.

"Chikage…" she murmured his name softly as she basked in the suddenness of his warmth, forgetting that they were still in Hana's line of sight. "I made a promise to you, I'd keep the defense of this village a secret…" No matter who she was with, no matter what, she would always keep her promises, whether or not she was an Oni. She had done the same for Souji and his tuberculosis, she had disguised herself as a boy for years, and more importantly, she had kept the secret of her heritage, even if she did not know what she really was, for all her life. A secret of such great importance, like the location of the safe-houses, would certainly not be revealed, even if it would greatly help Hijikata and the rest. She had already made a choice to one day be the mistress and matriarch of this village, and she would honor everything that her choice entailed.

They slowly parted, and smiled towards each other. "Come then, we must prepare for another arrival this morning as well. Your brother is expected to arrive in any minute."

* * *

The sun was now almost as high as the volcano before them, but still they of the Shinsen-Gumi could not find any trace of  _anything_  that would betray the village's design or defenses to them. They were sure that they had made a full round of the island, and yet, all they saw was what the map told them: a volcano, surrounded by a thin layer of forest, circled by a green meadow which lead onto a sandy beach. Even as they circled the perimeter of the island, they still could not find any sign of life…

It was useless. "Maybe we should stop moving around the island and move inwards?" Saito suggested after they got to the same place where they had landed on the island. Hijikata smacked his own forehead for not being able to think of such an idea first.

"Hajime-kun, you come up with the most wondrous ideas," Souji said in an ambiguous tone that no one bothered to decipher.

As they got to higher ground, Harada spotted a most peculiar sight. It was a small vessel, a little smaller than the ferry that they had taken to the city from the mainland, heading for the cove on the eastern shore. "Wait, look at that!" he said, pointing towards the ship. But… the cove was too deep for a ship to dock, and thus, a skiff was deployed.

"Isn't that Kaoru?" Souji asked, noting the small, petite figure dressed in black and navy Western clothes.

"What is he doing here?" Shinpachi continued. "Didn't Shiranui chase him away?"

"If he's at that part of the island, it means that the main gate or something like that is right there, right?" Heisuke observed.

Hijikata understood what Heisuke had meant. "We'll enter from the back then," he concluded. "Everyone, we'll head into the village from the western shore."

* * *

Although Chizuru was not yet the daughter-in-law of the Kazama clan, she stood next to Kazama in welcoming the arrival of the leader of the Nagumo clan. Everyone of importance in the clan was there on the beach to receive Kaoru, who looked self-important enough for the occasion.

When Kaoru's skiff hit the sand on the beach, Kazama and his retinue started walking towards the water. He was flanked by his grandmother to his left and Chizuru to his right, while the other clan elders walked behind them in a neat row, followed by his cousins and their wives.

"The Kazama clan offers its hospitality to Nagumo Kaoru, leader of the Nagumo clan of the Tosa-han," Kazama said to Kaoru once they were face to face. Following those words, he and his gave Kaoru a low, ceremonial bow, a gesture that was duly returned to them.

"I thank you for your generosity," Kaoru returned. He then moved towards Chizuru and gave her a formal greeting bow, as did the leaders of the Amagiri and Shiranui clans when they first met her. "Congratulations on your ascension to be position of clan-leader, Yukimura Chizuru."

Chizuru bowed her thanks, meeting the same honey-colored eyes, wishing to at least secure an inkling of what her brother had planned. "It's good to see you again, Kaoru-san," she replied with a smile.

"It is indeed," Kaoru replied.

Kazama cleared his throat, and their conversation was cut short. Instead of Kazama, Hana was the one who spoke next. "Kaoru-san, why don't we adjourn into the manor from some tea? I remember that you are particularly fond the sencha that our family makes," she said kindly.

"Oh yes, please," Kaoru said, exuding pleasantry, as if he had been the perfect male copy of Chizuru. Everyone knew that Nagumo Kaoru was in fact Yukimura Kaoru, but since his adoption, no one said a thing about his Yukimura heritage, and for good reason.

* * *

On the contrary, what Hijikata, Harada, Saito, Heisuke, Shinpachi and Souji saw was just Kaoru arriving at the beach and bowing to invisible figures. They could not make out what he said, nor did the wind carry the voices of those he had spoken to into their ears. However, they could see a sizable number of footsteps on the sand, first advancing towards the shore, and now, returning inland. It meant one thing though, that Kaoru had been to the village before, because he was perfectly able to see anyone that was there.

Having seen what they needed to see, they made their way towards the western shore of the island, and from there, they entered the foliage that divided the rest of the island from the beach. It was not a long walk, but it was a difficult one because of the heat of summer, and the humidity of the south in general. Shinpachi and Harada had little problems with it anyways, because they were half-naked most of the time, something which made Saito a tiny bit jealous, because he was wearing a black yukata, which made him feel the full brunt of the bounty of the summer sunlight.

Once the leaves of the forest were thick enough to blot off a portion of the sunlight, Hijikata rested against a tree, panting. "How could anyone get used to this heat?" he complained. Despite being the Oni Fukuchou, he was not immune to the odd complaint from time to time, he was a son of Edo, after all, better suited to drier, and colder climes.

"Let's just get this over with so we can go back to cooler weather," Heisuke agreed with Hijikata, and decided to trudge in front of his companions.

Harada chuckled. "The younger ones always have the most energy, don't they?" he asked Hijikata teasingly. Heisuke was about nine years younger than Hijikata, and with Harada in between them age-wise, it did not take long for Hijikata to realize the underlying joke. But as always, Harada was the rare few that could get away with teasing Hijikata so overtly and live.

Shinpachi and Saito had quickly made after Heisuke, leaving Souji to walk in line with Harada and Hijikata. "Sano-san, aren't you just admitting your advanced age then?" Souji returned.

"I've never denied it, haven't I?" Harada chuckled heartily before hitting a certain object with a loud thud. He could have sworn that he almost broke his nose, but when he looked up to see what he had hit, there was nothing in front of him at all. Hijikata and Souji both stood to his right, and their paths were clear… which meant that… "I think I've quite literally bumped into a clue."

It was Hijikata's turn to laugh (only slightly though). "You're right, Sanosuke," he said, and moved towards Harada's left side. His hand hit something not alike a structure made of stone. Naturally, he called out for those in front to return to their position. "Heisuke, Saito, Shinpachi! Get yourselves back here!"

It took no time for the latter three to return. In fact, out of curiosity, Shinpachi started to touch the air from the opposite direction of Harada, and walked forwards until he could not advance further. "Looks like this thing is around the size of a small house, isn't it?" Shinpachi asked triumphantly.

Hijikata did not know how to react from their discovery, of the fact that Shinpachi had provided them with a rare moment of ingenuity never before seen, based on his experience with the man, and his character. Souji noticed it, and could not help but to maintain that sly, strangely adorable cat-like smile of his.

"There has to be a door somewhere," Saito muttered, feeling his way around the end perpendicular to Harada. Soon, he felt something like a Western-made door, one with hinges and a door knob, and opened it. Astounded, he entered and found the space to be completely empty.

"This place is too small to be a house," Heisuke said observed, noticing that the place was wholly unfurnished. Yet, there was a great presence of Ki there, and they knew that all was not as they seemed, as was always with the case with the Oni race.

Slowly, each of them drew their katana (except for Harada, who used a spear), ready for a fight. Sensing the Ki getting stronger and closer, they realized that if they were to face any defenders of the Kazama clan, it would be right there. "Well, it's been great knowing you boys," Harada quipped, pointing his spear towards the front.

"I'll kill you again in the afterlife if you die first, Sanosuke," Hijikata threatened.

"Maa, maa, there will be plenty of fighting to go around," Souji comforted the two of them while they watched as a portion of the floor moving, which turned out to be a hatched that revealed very fair hand.

Soon, the hand was revealed to be a full bodied male Oni with amber-colored hair and eyes of a somewhat reddish and pinkish hue. There was no doubt that this Oni had the surname of Kazama.

"You must be the Shinsen-Gumi," the Oni addressed them with a polite bow. "My clansman, Chikage, has warned us of your arrival, but we did not expect you to discover this safe-house so quickly."

Harada chuckled sheepishly, despite the possibility of this Oni being hostile. "I guess you could say that we bumped right in," he replied. There would be another time for Hijikata to give a loud sermon about not being a fool and not trusting their supposed enemies so easily.

"Very well, I shall be your guide into the village," the Oni said. "Come with me."

* * *

"So, Chizuru, how have you been since we've last parted?" Kaoru asked his sister once all the formalities had ended. He found them all to be highly tedious, but a clan as powerful as the Kazama reveled in it. He watched Chizuru sip her tea nervously, her eyes downcast, as if she was not sure of the words that she would share with him.

After a short pause, she smiled and answered, "I am very well, thanks to Chikage's care." Those words were those spoken like a blushing bride, and made Kazama seem even more like an over-embellished peacock in Kaoru's eyes. However, seconds later, her mood became a solemn one. "But… Otou-sama…"

Kaoru knew how deeply the death of Yukimura Koudou would strike Chizuru, and he reveled in the knowledge of it. "There, there, dear sister," he comforted her with a reassuring squeeze of her elbow. "His death was a tragedy that he had brought upon himself…" Kazama interrupted him with a ruby-colored glare, obviously knowing his part in it, but he said nothing about it. "I can only imagine your pain…"

"It's alright," Chizuru replied, and cast a smiling glance towards Kazama who immediately changed his expression to a more benevolent one. "I've learned to move past it."

"Then we shall talk about your wedding," Kaoru suggested. This time, there was a legitimate chance for Kazama to interrupt him.

"All will be arranged by my family, Nagumo," Kazama interjected. "There is no need for you to worry about it, save for your attendance."

Kaoru protested. "But surely, as Chizuru's last surviving family member, there is something that I can be of assistance?" he reasoned.

"There would be no need, I insist," Kazama stressed. "Rest assured that each and every of my endeavors will be directed towards pursuing Chizuru's happiness." With those words, he laced Chizuru's fingers with his, making her face turn red before her brother, following such an open proclamation.

Internally seething with utter rage, Kaoru merely smiled. "Then I am relieved that my sister is in such good hands," he replied. "I wish you every happiness, Kazama, Chizuru."

Too shocked at the sudden change from her brother, Chizuru thanked him before seeing Sayo approaching them with Hana and a distant cousin of Kazama.

"There seems to be a rather interesting turn of events," Hana announced, and nodded towards Kazama's cousin.

"What is it?" Kazama asked, standing up and crossing his arms. In his heart, he already knew what was happening. He had sensed their approach mere seconds ago.

"It would seem that half of the top commanders of the Shinsen-Gumi has arrived at our doorstep by way of the western shore," his cousin replied. "They are already waiting outside the hall."

Hana smirked as she judged the expression on the Yukimura twins' faces. One was of utter anger, albeit one thinly veiled, and the other… it was very, very interesting to see her face light up in utter joy in the matter of seconds.

Kazama harrumphed. "We have no choice then," he said, sharing a knowing glance towards Chizuru. "Bring them here so that they can pay their respects to Obaa-sama." His cousin bowed at his instructions and left to usher the Shinsen-Gumi into the main hall. "An interesting turn of events, you say, Obaa-sama?" he asked his grandmother in an undertone. "Their arrival here will tip the scales of anything that follows after."

"Your future wife has already chosen to stay, has she not?" Hana rebutted her grandson in a similar tone while Chizuru turned towards the main entrance, her hands folded at her chest in wait. "Their presence here means little to you where competition is concerned."

He did not respond to his grandmother any further, confirming her suspicions. Instead, he watched as the Shinsen-Gumi bow to those inside the main hall at the entrance, and once again to Kazama and Hana.

As if they knew anything about the rites and customs of the Oni clans, Hijikata was the one who spoke, because he was the Fukuchou of the Shinsen-Gumi, highest in rank of those present. "I am Hijikata Toshizou, here to request an audience with the leader of the Yukimura clan, Chizuru with your gracious permission," he said to both Kazama and Hana.

"Seeing as to how you're able to reach this place unscathed, I'd say you deserve such a meeting," Hana told Hijikata with a wink. "What do you think, my grandson?" There was no doubt that the very mention of the word "grandson" made their eyes bulge out of their sockets, but it had been a long time since she was able to elicit such a reaction from a group of handsome, young men, even if they were only humans.

Kazama harrumphed. "It is a meeting they deserve," he answered his grandmother, while looking at Hijikata directly in the eye. His spirit had never wavered, it seemed. He then turned towards Chizuru, "Go to them then, my future wife."

Chizuru stepped forwards, and walked past Kaoru, once again, ignored by everyone present. "Hijikata-san," she greeted Hijikata, her voice almost shaking. She was going to cry again, and but she made sure that she would do so, not in front of Kaoru, not in front even the clan elders of the Kazama family, who stood in awe of the newcomers.

One by one, she greeted them with a long, formal bow. Souji was first, followed by Harada, Heisuke, Saito and then Shinpachi in that order. In that time, she was Yukimura Chizuru, the leader of her clan. There will be a moment when she would be Yukimura Chizuru, their friend and companion through many dangers.

"Well then, Sayo, see to it that our guests have a place to rest _._ " Hana said to Sayo, who immediately went to execute the task. "Come, have some tea. You must have had a long, tiring journey."

Another handmaiden moved in to serve them the tea that Hana had prepared, but Chizuru stopped the girl. Instead, she was the one who took the tray filled with tea-cups to them. It was what she had always done with them, and they smiled, being able to see her once again.

Their quest had ended.


	27. The Duel

Chizuru was overjoyed. When they were given some a wide and open room to have their reunion, she was so happy that she started crying. Somehow, it was a reaction that they all had anticipated, and one that endeared her further to them. It reminded them how long they had been from her side and her from theirs. Once they were alone, they crowded around her, and told her that they were fine, that they had come all the way from Edo, just to see her again.

"I've missed you," she told them in between silent sobs. "I've missed you all so much."

Hijikata smiled, and said, "We're here now, Chizuru, it's all that matters." It was miraculous, how much her absence had been felt. When she had left their Edo residence, he had once again suffered the emptiness of her first leaving, but the urgency that was the battles of Koshu-Katsunuma, and the Battle of Edo Castle had slightly numbed the pain. Now that she was right before them, now that she was in his grasp, he swore that he would never let go of her. Not again.

"Hijikata-san…" she murmured his name for the umpteenth time, somehow allowing him to embrace her. There was no need to question his heart at all. He had still loved her. She could tell by his hold over her, by the speed of his heartbeat.

"Come home with us," Hijikata whispered into her ear. "You no longer have to be our shield." She had done more than enough to aid them. She had suffered enough for them.

Chizuru fell silent. At that moment she left his embrace, gently, and slowly. "I can't," she told him, she told all of them, looking into eyes of amethyst, sapphire, amber, teal, emerald and sky-blue. It was an answer that they had dreaded, but it was not answer that had broken their hearts as deeply as they would have imagined.

"Why?" Heisuke asked. As always, he had put his voice into words that they had not the heart to utter. "Chizuru, you promised that you'd come back with us, remember?"

She cast her head down, and fell silent. It was at that point when Harada knew what was going on. "Chizuru, are you happy here?" he asked her, patting her head, as he had always did when he comforted her. There was no need or point to mention Kazama at all. Her reaction had told them enough about it.

"Yes," she answered.

"He has not forced you?" Saito demanded sternly, his expression softening when he saw her shake her head vehemently in answer.

Souji chuckled. "Ne, Chizuru-chan, what happened after you left Edo?" he asked her, changing the subject of their conversation. Chizuru had already told them the two most important things that they needed to know from her, and they knew that from then on, their mission had been completed. They could be forced to return to Edo at any time, and they would have no regrets at all.

They all sat down so that they could be more comfortable as Chizuru recounted her tale. She told them that as they were about to board Kazama's ship that would bring them to Kagoshima, Amagiri had traced the presence of her father and the Rasetsu army that he had built for the Sat-Chou Alliance. Without leaving any details, she recounted how Kazama had killed her father as retribution from straying away from the path of the Oni, and the threatening of countless innocent lives in Edo should the Rasetsu be allowed to hunt for blood.

"We never could have imagined that it was that bastard, er… Kazama… would do such a thing," Shinpachi commented. "Chizuru-chan, I'm sorry about your father's passing though."

Chizuru smiled and thanked Shinpachi for his condolences. "It was hard, seeing Otou-sama die in front of my eyes," she continued after a brief pause. She remembered the grief, and also Kazama's willingness to comfort her in that difficult time. Looking back, it was that gesture that broke down the walls that she had built around him. It was only then did she truly began to trust him. "But Chikage…" They noticed the difference in the way that Chizuru had addressed Kazama immediately. She had called him by his given name, which brought them into great shock. Chizuru's politeness was on par with that of Saito's, perhaps even greater. That bastard would most likely already have a great place in her heart. "He helped me move past it, in ways that I could never imagine. It was here in this village that I… received the most healing."

"Ne, Chizuru, does Kazama Chikage love you?" Heisuke asked her, hiding his eyes away from her as he uttered those words.

There was no reason why Chizuru should not answer that question at all. "Yes," she answered. In that moment of time, she knew that it was the only time that she had to reconcile her past with her future. "I love him in return as well."

Hijikata sighed. It was just as he had feared, he was too late. But instead of feeling anger and disappointment, he felt relieved, just by looking at Chizuru. He could not deny that she was happy, although he was unsure if she had been happier here or when she was with them. More than that, he could not help but notice that Chizuru had gotten stronger than before. Her Ki was more prominent, but apart from that, her smile was deeper, and her eyes, she had held their gaze longer than she had ever did before. In short, she was gaining not only power, but also confidence. From a young demure, Japanese flower, she was now a woman grown, an Oni leader, and it greatly showed.

"Then we are happy for you as well, Chizuru," he told her, smiling a smile that she could only describe as bittersweet. It was only then did he realized that for all that he had felt towards her, for all that they had cared for her, they could not have given her the same gifts that Kazama had given her. It was then he realized that from the moment Chizuru had decided that even the arrogant leader of the western Oni clans was deserving of her love, for whatever reasons, and she would not regret it, it was enough for him.

Chizuru nodded. "Thank you, for coming all this way," she told them. "I…"

"Nonsense, Chizuru-chan, we told you that we'd see you after the war, no matter what," Shinpachi stressed. Although the only one without any romantic inclinations towards her, Shinpachi had worshipped Chizuru like an adoring older brother to his precious younger sister. "We're all relieved that you've found someone to take care of you when we're no more in the picture."

"Ahou!" Hijikata scolded Shinpachi as he hit him on the head using his fist. "We'd still be there for Chizuru even if she no longer needs us. We'd come right here to Kagoshima and kill that bastard if he ever dares to make her cry." It was clearly a show that they had put for Chizuru, and it made her burst into laughter. He would do more than that to make her laugh more, and laugh longer, and he knew that she realized this.

"I would cut off my own head if I give you any reason for you to come for her thus," Kazama said in his usual manner, making sure his presence was known. The door was left ajar and he decided to invite himself in, not because he did not trust them to be with Chizuru, but rather because he had heard her laughter. It was a sound that he had never heard before, and when he looked through the door, he saw her lips and the creases of her eyes upturned. He had never seen her so happy in all his time with her, and he was glad.

"Ne, Kazama, if you really wanted to have Chizuru as your wife, you should have asked us nicely," Souji said, turning towards Kazama. He had not forgotten the unsettled score between them; that he had one day vowed to complete have a rematch with him, but he knew that it was not possible any more.

Harada chuckled. "That's what I've been telling him all the times he came after Chizuru," an opportunity to make fun of Kazama out of the battlefield was just too precious to let go, and judging by the looks of Chizuru trying to stifle a chuckle just for Kazama, and the Oni leader, knowing that their actions would entertain her, did not respond to them at all, trying to contain his anger.

"Souji, Sano, we should not inconvenience our host in this manner," Saito admonished, much to Chizuru's surprise. "However, they are not wrong in this…" He turned towards Kazama and added, "We would have welcomed any suitor of Yukimura if his intentions were genuine."

"You are all fools," Kazama replied. "The Satsuma-han were already in secret negotiations with the Choushu-han by the time of the Ikedaya Affair, how was I supposed to ask for the hand of the girl who was protected by the Shinsen-Gumi by walking through the front door?"

Those had been the first informal, non-combative words that he had exchanged with the Shinsen-Gumi. Chizuru, still standing beside Hijikata and Heisuke, just stood where she was and broke into a little chuckle, her eyes trained on Kazama as he approached her.

However, Hijikata stopped Kazama just before he managed to reach Chizuru. "We will not hand her over to you so easily," he said to Kazama. "A match, Kazama Chikage, so that we know that you're worthy enough for Chizuru. If you win, you can give us your wedding invitations any time you want."

"As always, Hijikata-san proves himself to be the sorest loser here," Harada announced, shaking his head. Hijikata might have put on a mask of strict, flawless execution, he might have buried the last vestiges of his humanity to become the Oni Fukuchou of the Shinsen-Gumi, but in reality, Hijikata was no different than they were. He was a man, although a fearless warrior, who had an insufferable competitive streak mixed with a great amount of mischief.

Raising an eyebrow, Kazama looked towards Chizuru. "What did you see in these war-like, barbaric ennobled peasants, my future wife?" he asked her. She only continued to smile, a sign that she had no intention to stop Hijikata at all. He harrumphed, and turned back to Hijikata. "Very well, suit yourselves."

* * *

The entire Kazama manor was in an uproar. Their guests, the leaders of the Shinsen-Gumi, had challenged their very own Chikage to a fight. Hana had utterly supported the venture, personally fetching the bokutou that they would use instead of katana for this very purpose. It was at that time when Kaoru had decided to absent himself from such a proceeding. He told Chizuru that he had seen enough fights and battles to last him a lifetime following the war, and decided to remain in his room.

Once Chizuru had entered the courtyard where the duel was to be held in full view of the Kazama clan, she stood next to Hana, who chuckled at the excitement that the Shinsen-Gumi had brought to the manor. "This is the first most interesting thing that happened since we moved here," Hana told her, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," Chizuru replied, hiding her obviously amused face with the sleeve of her yukata, feigning embarrassment and shame.

"Don't be silly, child," Hana returned. "It's good to have a little… disturbance once in a while."

Hijikata had decided to represent the Shinsen-Gumi, a legitimate choice on so many levels. The Fukuchou of the Shinsen-Gumi was Kazama's chief rival on the grounds that they were both ranked among the greatest strategists of their respective factions, although more often than not overlooked in their opponents. Both were men who would stake everything they had to protect those they had sworn themselves to, and at the end, no matter who they were, they were both men who loved Chizuru, for their own reasons.

"I am not doing this to earn your approval," Kazama told Hijikata. "I do so because I know that Chizuru spoils you despite your lack of decorum."

Hijikata rolled his eyes. "You still agreed to do this," he said, accepting a bokutou from one of Kazama's attendants. "There's no escape now, or your whole clan would witness that you're afraid to take on a lowly human."

"Hmph, we shall see," Kazama replied.

Harada was to be their referee. He stepped between them and warned, "Alright, show the womenfolk a little respect and behave yourselves." He stepped back, raised his arm, and swung it downwards, signaling the start of the match.

In combat, Hijikata was famous for not having any recognizable style. He had trained with various dojo in his youth before settling in the Shieikan, and thus, his attacks could not be easily read by scholars of the sword. It was with the combined knowledge of various kenjutsu styles that Hijikata created the basic combat movements of the Shinsen-Gumi. Chief of those movements would be the Hirazuki, a technique where Hijikata would utilize his speed against his opponents, a forward thrust aimed towards the throat.

Kazama, on the other hand, was a warrior of strength. Although he had no interest in combat, he was trained in it ever since he could walk because of its necessity. To his advantage would be experience than ran further than that of Hijikata's, and decades of training. He had seen all that the human world has to offer, and he could easily read through the techniques used by every man who had some aptitude with the blade.

Hijikata struck first. Even on the first move, he had used the Hirazuki technique, which Kazama had deflected with an upwards arc of his katana while he moved his body backwards. Barely recovering from the launch of the attack, Hijikata turned 180 degrees, and delivered a horizontal thrust which Kazama had avoided by leaping into the air.

"Impressive," Kazama noted. There was no mistake that Hijikata had been a man of many talents. It said many things about him as a kenjutsu practitioner to have invented such a technique. However, it had its flaws. Due to its range, it would be impossible for Hijikata to use it if he was busy defending himself, and it was what he made him do.

Hijikata hissed as he parried a downward arc of Kazama's katana. The Oni did not look like it, but as he tried to bear his opponent's bokutou down, Hijikata felt himself sink more and more into ground with the increasing amounts of pressure that Kazama had applied. Knowing that Kazama would have the upper hand if that struggle continued, he put all his strength into breaking the standstill, only to find that his opponent preferred to have it continued.

"I've never seen Hijikata-san like this," Heisuke commented to Chizuru. Chizuru had rarely entered the dojo in her days of the Shinsen-Gumi, but she knew that Hijikata was an able warrior, on par with Souji, Saito and Shinpachi. She had never seen such a great struggle on Hijikata's part, but still, he was determined to see the scales evened. He was still determined to exploit a weakness that Kazama had yet to reveal, and he would try until he had the upper hand, Oni or no.

"Let us end this useless charade," Kazama suggested, releasing the pressure on Hijikata's blade gradually.

Once their bokutou were free, their match was restarted. "It will be over with one single strike," Hijikata concurred.

They were about to move against one another when for some reason, Sayo walked into the courtyard with a blank expression. The girl's eyes were blank, but glowing red. Her hair was white like the clouds, and two horns had protruded from her forehead. It was the true form of an Oni, only revealed when they felt enormous negative emotion.

"Sayo… is anything wrong, child?" Hana asked Sayo, stopping her.

Heisuke was the one who realized what was wrong with the child. He moved towards Sayo while Hijikata and Kazama stopped their duel upon noticing Sayo's presence. "She's… she's been turned into a Rasetsu!"

"What?" Kazama demanded, dropping the bokutou and moved towards Sayo. There was no mistake. The change in her Ki, the soullessness of her eyes despite the red light that they had emitted… But with the death of Yukimura Koudou, surely, there would be no longer Rasetsu… unless…

"Nagumo Kaoru!" Hijikata exclaimed. There was no one else.

They all had underestimated Kaoru, taking him as the impertinent child he was at face value. No one could have guessed that he could have access to the Ochimizu, which he could have easily obtained from Yukimura Koudou before Kazama killed him.

"Find him!" Kazama shouted to his clansmen, who quickly clamored to the task, while he realized that Chizuru was already doing so with her newly developed powers. "Chizuru, have you seen where Kaoru is?"

Chizuru nodded. "He is at the volcano," she answered, her voice slightly trembling. "Chikage, we must hurry… he has the Ochimizu with him."

There was no time to waste. "Bring the Shinsen-Gumi with you, Chikage," Hana told Kazama. "Chizuru and I will catch up with you once we've made sure that Sayo is alright."

* * *

Before anyone realized that he was gone, Kaoru had ran up the volcano to hide. He had not thought that his plan would have gone awry. He had assumed that by poisoning the girl, she would lose all her worth as a pure blooded Oni female, and would cause Kazama and his clan to abandon her. If she had become a Rasetsu, then even the men of the Shinsen-Gumi could not save her, no matter what they tried. She would die of bloodlust, a terrible death that affected the mind and the body, and when her body would shut down, her mind would still cling to life, clinging onto the chance to find a trace of blood to sustain her survival…

For all the ingenuity of his plan, he did not counted that the girl would have taken a sip of the tea that was meant for Chizuru, for whatever reason, and now, he had already alerted the entire village to his deeds. He was beginning to think that even destiny was conspiring against him, but he had no excuses. He would have to face whatever lied before him, and carve his own way to survive this windfall. He always had.

"Nagumo Kaoru, you have nowhere to run!" Hijikata shouted towards him, followed by Kazama and the rest of the Shinsen-Gumi.

"Hmph, always fighting like a pack of wolves," Kaoru spat towards Hijikata, unsheathing his katana, the main heirloom of the Yukimura clan. "Kazama Chikage, tell your clan and the Shinsen-Gumi to stand down. You cannot kill me."

"Nonsense, you just turned a little girl into a Rasetsu, we've every reason to kill you," Souji replied, instantly ready to face Kaoru in combat once again.

Kaoru smiled slyly. "It seems that Okita Souji is still ignorant of the ways of the Oni," he said. "Kazama Chikage, why don't you educate the humans on what happens if you kill another clan leader on your own lands?"

"It is an act of war," Kazama replied. As much as he wanted to kill Kaoru then and there for what he had done to Sayo, who also bore his surname although being a distant scion of the clan, he knew that it was impossible. He could not, on any grounds, give the Nagumo clan to bring genocide to his own family.

"Then I will do it!" a voice interrupted them. It was Chizuru. All looked upon her with disbelief as she ran towards them. She had her kodachi with her, and it was unsheathed. Her iron will was found in her honey-colored eyes, and her voice, so melodious in its laughter, now contained cold steel. "Turning Sayo into a Rasetsu… it is unforgivable, Yukimura Kaoru!"

Tears were running down her face, because she had only realized that it was Sayo's duty to ensure that everything that she was served was safe to consume. The girl was not only her handmaiden, but her protector as well. The girl was a Rasetsu because of her.

By invoking the Yukimura surname onto Kaoru, she would remove any guilt from the Kazama clan onto herself. She had once used the same tactic against Kazama, when he was about to execute Koudou, but Kazama was adamant that he killed Koudou by his own hand, more likely because his transgressions had become too great for any Oni to allow, and partly because he did not want her to shed her own adoptive father's blood. But Kaoru… Kaoru was different. He might have been her twin brother, but she had no memory of him. She had only known uncertainty and a hint of fear from him.

No questions would be asked if the leader of one clan was pruning an errant branch of her family. Instead, it would be her responsibility and her right to do so.

"Chizuru, you don't have to do this!" Hijikata protested, ready to take up the burden for Chizuru at any moment, but Kazama stopped him. The Shinsen-Gumi were the honored guests of the Kazama clan. If any of them killed Kaoru, the result would be the same as Kazama doing the deed.

"Be careful, my future wife," Kazama told Chizuru as she walked past him. Gently, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Remember that I will not allow the woman I love to be defeated by such an impertinent upstart."

Chizuru nodded. "I know," she answered, and moved forwards when Kazama released her. "Please, take care of Hijikata-san and the rest of the Shinsen-Gumi for me."

"Aa," Kazama replied and watched as Chizuru walked towards Kaoru. To his left, Hijikata gritted his teeth in anger, while the rest of the Shinsen-Gumi called after her. Their efforts were futile.

This fight was hers and hers alone, and he could only pray that she emerged the victor.


	28. The Conflict

If there was anything to be truly felt at the time when Chizuru decided to face Kaoru at sword-point, it was the fact that there was no one else to put him to heel but her. There was a part in her that refused to do it, a part that told her that no matter what he did, Kaoru was whatever remained of her family. But she knew now that the bonds of family was not only forged by blood, but also by the care one had for another, by loyalty, and even honor. She had lived long enough with the Shinsen-Gumi to have already known this by heart.

For a long while, the Yukimura twins regarded one another in silence. There was no fear. The two of them had already transcended that. One the older, and the younger, one the son that should have been so much more, one the daughter who had received much more than she deserved. Kaoru and Chizuru were conceived at the same time, and yet their destinies were so much different. It was due to this difference that Kaoru had set upon this path of destruction, because he had enough of suffering alone. It was also due to this difference that Chizuru knew that she had no other choice.

"Chizuru, have you gone mad?" Kaoru asked her with a too-sweet smile that brought more disgust than any sort of warm feeling. "You are to marry the man who killed our uncle Koudou in cold man, and you would kill me because of one girl from his clan? I am your only brother!" Revealing to her the entirety of his katana, he added, "This katana, Daitsuuren, it is the mate of your kodachi, Shotsuuren. Have you forgotten that we are only one half of a singular whole?" There was a reason why they had been given names that marked an Oni clan-leader. They were meant to share the rule of their clan if it had not been decimated by the humans.

"Even if you are, what you've done cannot be forgiven!" Chizuru replied. She was not angry. There was no point in feeling anger towards Kaoru. What made her heart race as the seconds passed, what made her strengthen in her resolve to complete the deed, was actually her disappointment and her sadness resulting from his actions. She had thought him better, but he had proved her wrong. Having lived among the Shinsen-Gmi for so long, she knew the pain of being a Rasetsu, their cries for blood, the insanity that would take them. To see Sayo, who was little more than a child, to be cursed to go through such pain when she could have lived a long and peaceful life, Chizuru knew that there was only one retribution which Kaoru had deserved.

She stood before Kaoru and held her kodachi with the high guard. As a child, she had taken a few lessons in kenjutsu to better defend herself, and she had been living around great warriors to understand that using a high guard was the best defense when she did not know how her opponent would attack her. Her grip was tight, and she was prepared.

"Kazama, Chizuru has never fought anyone before!" Hijikata stressed to Kazama behind the Yukimura twins. Even if Saito and Souji had once vouched that she was able to defend herself to some extent, it did not take a fool to realize that Chizuru was unable to fight even the most common of opponents. But to face Kaoru, no matter his aptitude with the sword, Chizuru was  _not_  his opponent.

"What other choice do you think I have?" Kazama asked Hijikata. "If you have another solution in dealing with Nagumo, let me hear it." He was not like Hijikata. He knew the stakes that existed if he took to action. To put the matter to the harshest, but clearest words, "I cannot risk the safety of my entire clan and village to avenge the fate of a minor cousin."

It was those words that made it all clear to Hijikata. He had not been named the Oni Fukuchou because he had always carried out what he should have done, but he had done them because he  _needed_  to, no matter what effects those deeds would bring. In fact, it was those words that made him notice the great faith that Kazama had placed in Chizuru, and was willing to back down, at least until she was in imminent danger.

Kaoru had been the first to attack. He was not like the burning flame upon the battlefield like Hijikata or Souji, his attacks were precise, and cold. When a person of his stature would most likely be overlooked on the battlefield because he was too small, he was more than a match for Chizuru. She had no skill in combat apart from defense, but she too had an advantage that Kaoru could not have known.

Even as they had exchanged words, Chizuru had already seen Kaoru's plan of attack. Her challenge was to properly gauge the speed of his attacks, so that she could deflect them, until she had the chance to strike.

Before their very eyes, it seemed that Chizuru had improved leaps and bounds, but Kazama knew that the sudden heightening of her Ki, and knew that Chizuru was taking a gamble. By using a portion of her powers to actually read Kaoru's movements beforehand, she was at risk of dividing her attention. But at that moment, it seemed that she was doing well, and by the utter awe that the Shinsen-Gumi had observed her with, he knew that she would have surely improved by leaps and bounds.

"Ne, Chizuru, don't you know that using so much of your Ki would leave you at a disadvantage?" Kaoru asked her after she had successfully parried a leftward arc from Kaoru. Those words shocked her to no end. "You might be able to see my attacks before I execute them, but with so many possibilities, are you sure that what you have seen is what I would do?"

In short, Kaoru had meant that he knew that Chizuru was a Seer. "How… how did you know?" Chizuru asked, once again locking the blade of her kodachi against his katana.

"We are twins, Chizuru." Kaoru replied simply. "There is a reason why the Nagumo clan took me in, after all. I am able to recognize how each and everyone uses their Ki, which translates to my being able to judge what powers other Oni possess." The Yukimura clan had long been a clan of peace and healing. That was why the powers of its scions could never be useful in combat. Kaoru's abilities ensured that whatever powers his opponents had would be negated, because he could find their weaknesses with utmost ease. In the case of his beloved sister, it would be to change tactics even before she could have seen his designs.

Thus, he broke the stalemate by kicking Chizuru in the abdomen, sending her flying backwards.

"Yukimura!" Saito called her as she landed by his feet. Without a moment's hesitation, he helped her to rise. "Watch Kaoru's movements, Yukimura, do not rely overmuch on your Oni gifts. You can defeat any opponent with only unsheathing your blade if your swing is true and unclouded." He had spoken those words into her ear, offering advice that she knew would save her life.

As she stood on her feet, Chizuru thanked him. "I'll never forget what you've taught me, Saito-san," she said as Kaoru started to charge towards her. Saito had said similar words to her before, words that secured her permission to accompany the units of the Shinsen-Gumi as they made their rounds in Kyoto city.

Although he knew that she could see it, he nodded and smiled. "Go forth and win," he said, watching her advance as well. Every single pair of eyes were trained upon Chizuru. She had seen Saito fight enough times to be able to replicate his stance, and his attacks. There was once Kondou had told her that there were actually nine types of movements to attack, and so there were also nine types of movements used to defend oneself. If one could strike just before the opponent attacks, then the opponent would be defeated.

In the second where Kaoru had taken a forwards step in launching his attack, for some reason, Chizuru had used her left foot in mistake. But in that mistake, somehow Chizuru was able to gain the element of surprise. Her attack had no longer utilized a high guard, the most basic movement in kenjutsu, but a lower guard. This gave her the chance to strike at Kaoru at his waist, rending flesh and bone, and send him high into the air.

As Kaoru fell, the two vials he brought with him had broken. The last of the Ochimizu was finally destroyed. There would no longer be anyone who could be harmed by such a vile thing. They would never discover the nature of the other vial's contents, but it no longer mattered.

The warriors who watched that last attack were dumbfounded. "Saito… you didn't tell Chizuru to use her left foot, right?" Shinpachi asked Saito. It was an attack that was never before seen, even by the likes of the Shinsen-Gumi. It was a great blessing that Chizuru had not cut her leg while drawing her katana.

"Actually, I've heard someone in the Choushu-han who could do something like this," Souji replied, looking towards Kazama, who was already walking towards Chizuru.

"Yes, but he disappeared following the Battle of Toba-Fushimi as I did," Kazama replied. "He was a famous user of battou-jutsu." Battou-jutsu was another name for iaido and iaijutsu, and Saito had been well-known for being a practitioner on the side of the Bakufu.

Chizuru looked at Kaoru and found that his wounds were not healing. She had struck into his vital organs, and death was imminent for him. "Chi… Chizuru…" he called to his sister, who bent down to take his hand. "Do you remember… our home? It was filled with flowers…"

Of course Chizuru could remember the flowers of the Yukimura village. She had seen them more times in her visions than she could even recall. There were fields and fields of them. "I liked the purple ones best," she replied. At that moment, she suddenly remembered that there was one time when Kaoru had made her a crown of purple flowers…

"We were supposed to be together… forever," Kaoru continued, now almost floating in a pool of his own blood. "We were supposed to suffer… together. Why?" He no longer had the strength to even lift his head. Even until the ending of his life, he could not understand why Chizuru had been the luckier twin. He would never receive his answer. He would leave this world, without leaving a mark, without finishing his cause. His sister would always be remembered as the ever-loved ward of the Shinsen-Gumi, and in the future, the youngest heir of the Yukimura line, and also the daughter-in-law of the Kazama clan that would unite the lines of leadership between the eastern and western Oni clans.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, although there was no real need for her to do so. She felt Kazama's hand on her shoulder, but she did not move. She watched every agonizing second Kaoru took to die. For twenty seconds after her apology, he could not speak. In forty more, he breathed his last.

Yukimura Chizuru had killed her twin brother. Her white hands were no longer clean and pure, but stained with the blood of her closest kin, her own blood, even. Several of Kazama's clansman had already started to bury Kaoru, while Chizuru decided to lay him to rest with his katana. She did not need it, knowing that only her kodachi was enough.

For a long while, Chizuru had sat there, even after Kaoru was already within the ground, finally at rest. She could look at was her hands, now dyed the color of rust, disbelieving at what she had done even if she could truly recall that she had decided to do it out of her own volition.

"Come," Kazama told her, his voice commanding, but gentle. He took her by the wrist and brought her to the nearby stream. The very moment her hands had touched the cold water of the stream, every single trace of blood that had been on them was gone. "What you have done not only saved our family, Chizuru, you have stopped Kaoru from being haunted by whatever demons he faced."

He had heard terrible rumors that the Nagumo clan had been less than kind to Kaoru. The boy was used in every way possible, in mind, in soul, and even in body. There were no females in the Nagumo clan. The last one had died of old age many a year before the Yukimura twins were born. At the possibility of capturing a precious pure-blooded scion of the clan, agents of the Nagumo clan had stolen into the Yukimura village when they heard tell that the leaders of the eastern Oni were to be attacked by the Imperialist forces. They had taken hold of the wrong twin when the village burned, and they took all their frustration on the child that they had forced away from his sister.

Chizuru looked up at Kazama when she heard what he said. His ruby eyes were unflinching, even after what she had done. "Our… family?" she asked him, just only realizing the implications of his words.

He smiled a genuine smile for her. "What is mine will be yours," he told her, drawing her into his arms. "I could not stand next to you just now, but in the future, I will be beside you at all times." He had renewed his promise to her, and she returned his smile. Together, they walked hand in hand back towards the Shinsen-Gumi and his clansmen who had seen everything.

"You've done well, Chizuru," Hijikata praised her. Another smile for her, one that she knew she had once tried so hard to receive. Perhaps those words had held other meanings, but she did not care to discover all of them now. She already had the love of one man who had strangely chosen her before he himself had realized that he had done so.

Harada and Shinpachi were grinning from ear to ear. No words need to be said to her from them. They patted her head and ruffled it one by one, looked on by Souji and Heisuke.

"Your sword was one of strength, Yukimura," Saito added. "May it never falter."

"Arigatou," she said to all of them, bowing low in her thanks for them. She had seen each and every one of them fight for years, and now, they were present at the one time where she had to face not only her past and present with the sword, but one where she had to cut herself her own future as well. There was nothing more that she could ask for.

"Come, let us go home," Kazama proclaimed, taking Chizuru's hand. Together, they walked side by side one another. But as they passed the men of the Shinsen-Gumi, he turned towards them. "Aren't you ennobled peasants coming as well? I did not realize that you enjoyed having to sleep underneath the stars when you would have a roof over your heads tonight."

"Hmmm, is the leader of the western Oni clans really offering us his hospitality?" Souji asked Kazama in return with a little snigger, casting a knowing glance towards Hijikata. "Hijikata-san, what does the Fukuchou say about this?"

"Hmph, since he asked so nicely, there's no reason to turn him down, I suppose," Hijikata answered. "We're leaving at first light anyways." They started to walk behind Chizuru and Kazama, each wearing his own smile knowing that Chizuru was in far better hands now.

Kazama rolled his eyes at Hijikata's response, but Chizuru's soft chuckle softened his mood. "You're starting to tolerate them, aren't you, Chikage?" she asked him.

"There is no reason why I cannot display patience equal to yours when it comes to them," Kazama replied absently, subtly kissing the back of her hand, as if it proved his point further. "However, I believe that someone else would derive a great amount of amusement from them."

* * *

"You cannot leave," Hana said to Hijikata and the men of the Shinsen-Gumi that night during dinner. There was no hint of mischievous wisdom, no hint of a joke or a tease. This time, more than ever, Hana was serious.

"What do you mean?" Hijikata asked in disbelief. "We have done nothing that warrants our detainment here…"

Hana merely smiled, one that chillingly reminded him of Kazama Chikage, who fell silent at his grandmother's edict. She was, after all, a clan elder. "Not in many lifetimes would I wish to detain you, but the fact of the matter remains that you are in no position to leave. Tell me, Hijikata Toshizou of the Shinsen-Gumi, how many Oni villages have you disarmed on your way to our humble home?"

Hijikata took a deep breath. "Four," he answered, knowing that Hana had asked him that question only to prove her point.

"That is why I cannot allow to return to your kind," Hana continued. "Chizuru's word is not enough to vouch for your actions. The Kazama clan not only protects this village, but also all of the Oni villages in the western territories of our country. The safety to our people remains our duty and our priority."

"Then it seems like you already have a design for our fates," Saito interjected. Hana instantly decided that she liked Saito best because of his no-nonsense nature despite his care in formality and etiquette.

"Indeed I do," Hana replied. "It would please the clan elders and I that the six of you would remain here as bodyguards and advisors to my future granddaughter-in-law, and any issue that she will have."

Chizuru gasped in the utter shock of Hana's words, while Kazama's eyes widened. "Obaa-sama, there really is no need…" Kazama interrupted. As much as he had started to tolerate their presence, having Hijikata, Souji, Saito, Harada and Shinpachi to be in his sight at all times, and even with any children that he and Chizuru would have…

Hana held up her hand to silence her grandson. Immediately, the likes of Harada, Shinpachi and Heisuke recoiled and sat up straighter, as if immediately frightened by her actions. Any person able to silence Kazama in that manner was more than an Oni, she would be a Youkai altogether, a demon. "You cannot guarantee that anything that happened earlier today will not occur in the future. I would rest better at night knowing that Chizuru is better protected despite your great abilities. Not everyone in our clan has been martially trained like you."

"Hana-baa, they are still tied to the new government," Chizuru offered, looking towards Hijikata and Souji, whose thoughts she knew immediately went towards Kondou and Sannan who were still waiting for their return, as well as Yamazaki and Shimada.

"Then it is simple, we shall write to your superiors, shall we not?" Hana quipped, as if it was the easiest thing ever.

Hijikata felt as if he was going to have another headache. Rubbing his temples, he drew a long, labored, breath. It was an outcome that he could not have anticipated, and clearly, it threw him off balance completely. His plans had been to see Chizuru, try to bring her back to Edo with them if possible, and to return home. But now, it seemed that with the intervention of an Oni clan elder, their plans would have to change… or would they.

"Ne, Hana-baa, what if we refused your request, and just swam back to Kagoshima at the dead of the night?" Souji asked, providing all present a perfect hypothetical situation. "We'd just get ourselves on the quickest ship to Edo and it will take ages for your precious grandson to hunt us down."

Hana did not even raise an eyebrow. "Then I shall raise the alarm to Sen-hime at Yase, stating the intrusion of the Shinsen-Gumi, and perhaps, the rest of the Oni clans would go after your skins on the mainland on our behalf," she replied sweetly. Such was the power and influence of the matriarch of the Kazama clan that even Souji was defeated at his own game.

"So this means we're not able to step outside the island anymore?" Shinpachi asked Hana, who shook her head. "And you'll kill us if we refuse?"

"That isn't much of a choice, isn't it?" Harada sighed.

"It… wouldn't be… so bad, wouldn't it?" Heisuke asked his peers. "I mean… we didn't even know what to do after the war ended…" What Heisuke had said in mind was true, when peace had come to the nation, they no longer had any more reason to fight. They had said that they were going to continue their peace-keeping duties, but each and every one of them knew it was just another way to say that they were going to continue to kill any new rebels that went against the new order of the new government.

"We are also under the protection of Sen-hime," Hijikata said, breaking his silence. Although the writing on the documents that Sen-hime had given them were now smeared, thanks to their little swim in the sea upon arriving at Sakurajima, Sen-hime's seal was enough to prove its authenticity. "So, why don't we invite her over and have a little chat about this?"

Hana put down her tea-cup with a clink that was louder than usual. "Hijikata Toshizou, you are a dangerous man indeed," she observed, clearly amused with what she was facing. "Very well, we shall do as you have suggested. Whatever Sen-hime decrees is final, and there can be no regrets, am I clear?"


	29. The Resolution

Sen-hime was puzzled.

No, she was downright confused.

Just months ago, the Shinsen-Gumi had told her that Kazama had raided their headquarters and took Chizuru away with him. In the following weeks, she received notice from the Kazama clan that Chizuru was formally installed as the chief of the Yukimura clan, and that Kazama and Chizuru would be wed in the following year. She was now in the Kazama village, and now the clan elders of the Kazama clan and the Shinsen-Gumi had told her that Chizuru had killed Nagumo Kaoru, who turned a minor Kazama cousin into a Rasetsu.

Sitting at the head of the main hall of the Kazama manor, Sen-hime took two hours to listen to everything everyone had to tell her, everyone from Chizuru, who was in the very vortex of the tornado that blurred the lines between the politics of their nation, the Oni and the humans, right down to the young Kazama girl who had been the last victim of the storm.

"Well, what are you going to do about all this?" Sen-hime asked all those before her. "You have to tell me what you want before I can decide anything for you." It was one of those rare times when she had shown her authority as the princess of the Oni.

"I would appreciate if the kind gentlemen of the Shinsen-Gumi would remain in this village to protect Chizuru and her children," Hana said plainly. "Besides, it would be a great compromise for disarming the Oni villages that they have encountered without provocation…" In her words, she had implied that it was Sen-hime who had purposely sent them towards the villages protected by the Kazama clan, right to the heart of the Kazama village itself. It was blackmail of the subtlest kind, and Sen-hime knew Hana too well to ever miss it.

Sen-hime nodded. "I will take this into consideration, Hana-baa," she said to Hana. Ultimately, given the fact that the power of the Kazama clan ran only second to that of her family, she would have to acquiesce whatever Hana had requested. The challenge for her, was to ensure that the Shinsen-Gumi would feel like they actually had a choice to walk away. She then turned to Chizuru. "Chizuru-chan, what about you?" she asked. "You can still choose whether or not you want to go ahead with your… wedding with Kazama."

Chizuru smiled. "I will stay here, Osen-chan," she replied. It was a smile that Sen-hime had never seen before on Chizuru, and she was ultimately gladdened. Half her worries had already been settled with Chizuru's decision, because even if she did not choose Kazama, sooner or later, some other male Oni clan leader would most generally ask for her hand. Although she did not see eye to eye with Kazama on most things, she was sure that their people would most greatly benefit from such an illustrious match.

"Kazama Chikage, I don't know what you've done to convince Chizuru to finally be your wife, but if I have any notice of you making her cry in any way…" Sen-hime threatened, pausing when she saw that ever-present smirk on Kazama's face and decided to give up. She had once tried to talk him into wooing Chizuru in a gentler manner, but it seemed that whatever he was doing had succeeded instead. Rather than having to face more of his glib and smug attitude, she decided to drop the case.

"I would think that such words are needless," Kazama returned while glaring at Hijikata. "I expect that my Obaa-sama would most likely get her way with things, and I would be stuck with six jailors whether I like it or not, most likely under your orders." Those words were two-fold of course, but it did not mean that he enjoyed such an arrangement. Whatever hopes of him living a life of quiet and peace would be gone now, knowing that there would be a certain number of human pests around Chizuru at all times.

This time, it was Sen-hime that grinned ear to ear. "Not a very nice feeling, isn't it?" she asked him. They were Oni, and although freedom was not one trait that they had greatly valued, being a highly hierarchical and tradition-bound society, they still appreciated some amount of leeway to choose how they would live their lives.

"Sen-hime, what about us?" Hijikata asked. "You cannot just leave us in the dark like this…"

"I'm the one who allowed you into this mess, naturally I'll come up with a solution for you," Sen-hime reassured him. Taking a deep breath, she announced, "To be fair to each party, perhaps three of the Shinsen-Gumi members here can return to the human world, and three should remain. Hana-baa, Chizuru-chan has proven herself to be quite the warrior, hasn't she? I would imagine keeping six bodyguards is a little too… excessive. If we hear any whisper of our affairs from the three that would leave, we can just punish them by killing the remaining three one by one."

"What kind of a solution is this?" Heisuke retorted, standing up in a mixture of shock and anger. "Sen-hime, you can't be serious?"

"Heisuke… calm yourself!" Harada advised, pulling Heisuke back down.

"But… Sano-san…"

"Just try to behave yourself or we'll all be killed somehow," Shinpachi said to Heisuke through gritted teeth.

"Three of us to remain as hostages, advisors and bodyguards, and three of us to return to Edo…" Saito concluded. "Who among us shall return?"

Souji chuckled. "Of course… I will go back to Edo," he volunteered. "Any one of us are perfectly able to protect Chizuru and keep an eye on Kazama Chikage. But if I stay here, who would take care of Kondou-san back home?" There was another motive for his refusal to stay, of course. He had been cleared of tuberculosis, but there was no guarantee that he would not have a relapse. He did not want Chizuru to be sad over his condition any longer, and he preferred it if she did not see him thus. He would rather her live in the future with ease of heart.

Heisuke realized this and sighed. He was a Rasetsu, and would definitely be gone before his time. The Shinsen-Gumi knew that the powers of Rasetsu were gained by borrowed time. He had used much of his abilities during the war, and he too, would soon fade. "There's no real choice for me too, is there?" he said. "Chizuru, I'm sorry, but, I'm going back with Souji."

Although she seemed surprised at their decision, Chizuru actually knew what went on in their heads. She knew them too much not to. But, hiding the fact that they realized one another's suffering, and acting like they were still fine, no matter what, it had become a silly norm amongst them. One that Chizuru was often prone to as well. "I… understand," she said.

"If that's decided then I'm going too," Shinpachi offered. "Someone's going to make sure that these two idiots don't make too much of a mess back home." No matter how much he cared for Chizuru as a surrogate brother-figure, he knew that he had no reason to remain. He had his own life to live.

Hijikata furrowed his brows. "Seems like you bastards have already decided for us, so what choice do we have?" he demanded. Deep down in his heart, he knew that he would be happy with whatever decision Chizuru has made, as long as she would have no regrets. He had seen how much Kazama had cared for her, and it had been enough for him. But at the end of the day, he realized that no matter what happened, her smile, her eyes, her entire presence… could not be erased from his mind. Although she had loved another, he still loved her, although that love has changed. Chizuru was still part of that large, surrogate family that they had all acquired in those dark days of civil unrest in Kyoto, and he would still do his utmost to protect her.

"Hijikata-san, you wouldn't want to leave even if we forced you to," Souji teased. "Hajime-kun, what about you?"

"If that is the decision that is made, then I have no contest," Saito replied. Those were only words to be said at the surface. Ever since he had known her, he had seen Chizuru growing. What she had lacked in stature and build, was made for in the strength of her heart and her soul. He remembered well that at one point, she was carrying all of their spirits on those dainty, narrow shoulders of hers. If it was his lot in her life to at least be able to repay what she had done for all of them, he would easily do so.

Harada chuckled. "Looks like I'm stuck here too, then," he replied with a wide grin. "Shinpachi, if you're going back to take care of the rest, I'll do the same with these guys here." Shinpachi and Heisuke would always be his best companions, but he too, had to make sure that Hijikata does not try to kill Kazama too often, while keeping Saito accompanied if it needed to be. He would also like to keep an eye on Chizuru, to ensure that the pressures of being the matriarch of an entire Oni clan would not be too much for her to bear. "Oh, and Chizuru as well, of course."

All eyes turned to Chizuru. "Are you satisfied with this arrangement, Chizuru?" Hana asked her. "Or would you rather it be changed?" Her future daughter-in-law shook her head, and looked as if she was going to burst in tears for whatever reason. Instead, she forced a smile and thanked her with a bow. There would be a time for a private farewell. With Chizuru's answer, she then clapped her hands.

Two children, a boy and a girl came into the main hall bearing trays of white envelopes with gold and red details – the colors of the Kazama clan. The girl gave the tray with most of those envelops to Sen-hime, while the boys handed them to Souji. They were wedding invitations. Hana had acted one step faster than Kazama himself, and took it up upon herself to invite not only the rest of the Oni clans to her grandson and Chizuru's wedding, but also those of the Shinsen-Gumi.

"Hana-baa, you've been planning this all along, haven't you?" Hijikata asked Hana with a sideways glance. Ever since he had entered the village, he knew that it would be a fatal mistake to underestimate the woman that was Kazama's grandmother, and he was right. She would always be one step ahead of them, and he knew that she was highly capable in making Kazama as uneasy as ever, judging by his dark expression.

Hana chuckled. "Of course," she answered with a smile that the men of the Shinsen-Gumi would forever equate with the Kazama clan henceforth. "One must always work for the safety of her clan. Chizuru, may this be a lesson to you in the future. Always utilize any form of talents you come across."

Chizuru gave a little giggle and thanked Hana for her advice.

"Hana-baa, sometimes I really think that you should have my job," Sen-hime sighed. Hana came from the north, a line that had defended both Oni and humans alike against the Russians, Koreans and Chinese invaders since ages past. As such, she was highly politically savvy and was used to running a large and powerful clan like the Kazama clan while dealing with outside powers effectively.

"I've worked hard enough for all my years, young one," Hana replied. "I think it's time for me to enjoy my retirement once my future granddaughter-in-law is truly ready to accept her duties." Of course, she would not pile all of her responsibilities onto Chizuru at once, but it made her breathe a little more freely, knowing that her days as a matriarch was ending.

Kazama harrumphed. "Obaa-sama, I am starting to think that everything discussed here has been an elaborate plan for your retirement," he said, his words half a complaint to his grandmother, and half a sharp observation. "Which is it?"

"Would there be any fun in me answering such a question, Chikage?" Hana replied with a wink in her eye.

Soon, tea was served, along with sweets that Souji had secretly hinted to Hana which were Chizuru's favorite. Her face lit up immediately upon seeing the dango, mochi, and even konpeito, which puzzled Kazama to no end. Souji would make Hijikata, Harada and Saito swear that they would not reveal any such information to Kazama. It would forever be their little secret.

* * *

When dawn came, Sen-hime's ship left before that of the Shinsen-Gumi's. She had said the fondest goodbyes to Chizuru, and vowed to make more visits to the Kazama village in the future just to see her. At mid-morning, the ship that Kondou had sent for the Shinsen-Gumi arrived, and it would be filled with only three passengers.

"Chizuru-chan, take care of yourself, alright?" Shinpachi told Chizuru.

"Shinpachi, Chizuru-chan has defended herself against more men that she can count. A future husband, Hijikata-san, Hajime-kun and Sano-san are just puppets to be played from her very fingers," Souji rebuked with his cat-like smile aimed towards Chizuru. One last tease before they are separated until the coming of the New Year. "Chizuru-chan, we'll bring Kondou-san, Shimada, Yamazaki, and Sannan-san with us next time. They'll be overjoyed to know that you've found your happiness here."

"Thank you for everything, Okita-san," Chizuru said. She was no longer crying, out of happiness, or out of longing. She now had peace, peace that she had earned more than all of them.

"We have you to thank for more," Souji replied, patting her head. He wished that he could do more, but with the presence of Kazama, he knew that such a gesture alone would be too much.

"Chizuru, promise me you won't get married before we come back, alright?" Heisuke begged, his teal eyes large and wide. "Kondou-san and Sannan-san would kill me if they're not here to see everything."

Hijikata clicked his tongue. "Heisuke, we'll still be here you know. We'll make sure that Kazama behaves his best around Chizuru," he reassured Heisuke, meanwhile not wasting another opportunity to take a jab at Kazama just for the sake of it. He was, after all, soon to be part of Chizuru's wedding trousseau rather figuratively, and would do all that he could to make Kazama's life a little bit harder than it should have been, for all the trouble he had given them.

"Don't worry, Chizuru will still be Yukimura Chizuru when you boys come back," Harada added with a grin.

Saito, on the other hand, decided to be more tacit with their hosts and new employers. "Kazama has held their word even until now, Heisuke, we are safe to expect that they would honor it until your return."

With joined smiles and lightened hearts, the Shinsen-Gumi parted once again. This time, they part in relief, and in gratitude, ready to welcome the new age for whatever it would bring to them.

* * *

It was in the dark of the night when Chizuru met Kazama in the courtyard, when everyone was supposed to be sleeping. She knew that he wanted to avoid certain eyes in their meeting, to have a little privacy together. It seemed almost an eternity when they could just sit next to each other, only the two of them.

"I still cannot comprehend how you are able to tolerate the ruckus those men bring with them," Kazama told her as she rested her head on his shoulders. "There used to be a time when we can be together like this in broad daylight, and now… we have to sneak around like cats in the night."

"Chikage… are you… afraid of them?" Chizuru asked, looking into Kazama's ruby eyes. For the first time, she saw his face redden, only but slightly, and his brow was knitted. No, he was not afraid of them, he was jealous. She did not need to be a Seer to realize this. "Or… are you jealous?"

Kazama sighed. "The very thought that any three of them could have had you…" There was no doubt that Hijikata, Saito and Harada loved Chizuru in their own way. The fact that Souji, Shinpachi and Heisuke had left on their own volition without the three of them saying anything was enough to solidify his suspicions.

Chizuru giggled, interrupting him, and met his forehead with hers. "I still chose you, remember?" she asked him. She had not been wrong. Kazama was actually, strangely a mixture of the men she had always had around her. Like them, he was a warrior, protecting those he had sworn himself to. Like Hijikata, he was not prone to sudden bouts of childishness despite the image of strength and power that he had created, like Saito he was stern and steadfast, and like Harada, he was gentle and warm when he needed to be. Not caring for any retributions for her own thoughts now, she was glad that he was sent to her by the hand of fate.

Smiling, he kissed her forehead. "I am glad that you did," he told her, happy to have her in his arms again. "You need not fight again, Chizuru, not when I'm here by your side." He loved her. He did not realize how much he had loved her until the time she had picked up the courage to challenge Kaoru, to execute her own brother. No matter how much faith he had in her, he realized that there was a risk that she could not survive, and it was at that moment he realized how empty his life would be without her. That instant when she fell at Saito's feet was the hardest moment he had to live through, and he swore to himself that it would not happen ever again.

"I would do it again if it would help you in any way," Chizuru replied. Such was her character that she would willingly risk everything she had, just to give aid to those that needed it. It was that thought that brought her such courage and strength, and it was no surprise why she had ensnared the hearts of so many warriors, his included.

Under the stars and the full moon, Kazama seized Chizuru and kissed her. It was not a promise, nor was it a proclamation. That kiss had been a celebration. A celebration of the ending of the shadows that haunted her, a celebration of the future that they would have together, no matter who was around them, no matter who were not. It was a future where they would by one another's side, walking at the same pace, no matter how the world around them changed.

A new age had come, and it was not only for those who ruled Japan, both the elites of the Imperialist and Bakufu factions. It was also a new age for the humans and Oni who called it home. A new age for a chain of interconnected spirits, by some strange trick, which would begin with the new dawn.


	30. The Union

On New Year's Eve of the First Year of Meiji, Kondou Isami, Sannan Keisuke, Okita Souji, Nagakura Shinpachi, Toudou Heisuke, Yamazaki Susumu and Shimada Kai disembarked the small Western steam ship that the Kazama clan had obtained as a reward from the Shimazu clan for their services during the years of conflict now known as the Bakumatsu. They were welcomed by both Kazama and Chizuru, with their respective entourages. Hana stood by Kazama, while Hijikata, Harada and Saito stood by Chizuru.

"Welcome to our humble home," Kazama greeted Kondou and the rest of the Shinsen-Gumi with a low, formal bow once they reached the front entrance of the village. Those words were the first that he had ever said to Kondou, the former Kyokuchou of the Shinsen-Gumi, and although they were once bitter rivals, those had been words of peace.

"Ah, Kazama-kun, congratulations on your wedding tomorrow!" Kondou returned, as if he had already known Kazama for a long, long time. It was this attitude of Kondou that endeared him to those around him. He had no regard for one's past, and only hoped that they would always work together for a brighter future. He then turned to exchange greetings with Kazama's grandmother before turning his attention to Chizuru. "Yukimura-kun, congratulations on snagging yourself a husband!"

Chizuru blushed a little. "Thank you for coming, Kondou-san," she said with a cheerful smile. "It's good to see you again."

"Yukimura-kun, Kondou-san was so overjoyed that he prepared a rather fine wedding trousseau for you," Sannan added, gesturing at Yamazaki, Shimada and Shinpachi, who were carrying boxes upon boxes of gifts. "Please consider them gifts from all of us of the Shinsen-Gumi."

"Kondou-san, Sannan-san, you didn't have to…" Chizuru said in a small voice.

"Oh we  _have_  to!" Kondou stressed. "Yukimura-kun, you were our ward, remember? That means we're as responsible for your well-being as your own family!" Kondou had cherished Souji as a son, but as an extension, he had a soft spot for Chizuru as well. The girl was the light and life of the Shinsen-Gumi when she was living with them, and he had no choice but to lavish her with the occasional sweet treat and helping to those wayward boys under his wing towards her.

Kazama cleared his throat. "I believe we should go indoors before you humans catch a chill," he told them. "We have already prepared an area for your stay, and a hall for you to have your reunion in." The Shinsen-Gumi had been parted ever since the weeks following the Battle of Edo Castle. It was the first time that they were reunited with one another, and he would give them all the privacy that they had needed.

Kondou thanked his host profusely, and even more so when he saw the hall that Kazama had mentioned. It was not as large as the main hall of the manor, but it was still larger than the common rooms that they had been used to. One by one, they sat down and were served hot, steaming tea by Chizuru, just like the old days. "Ah, I've missed the tea you make, Yukimura-kun," Kondou said with a hearty chuckle. "It's been too long since we've had it."

"Speak for yourself, Kondou-san," Hijikata replied. "It's been a long time since we've had tea made by Chizuru as well."

Kondou blinked. "Eh? Why is that, Toshi?" he asked, both confused and curious.

"Chizuru is now something like our Ojou-sama, we'd be scolded by Hana-baa if she ever set her foot in the kitchen," Harada explained. "Chikage-san, on the other hand, guards her so jealously that it's hard for her to have her do anything for us anyways."

Sannan's ears perked up at the change in the way that Harada had used to address Kazama. "Chikage-san?" he enquired. "Have you gotten on excellent terms with our hosts, Harada-kun?"

"Sannan-san, most of the Oni here are related to one another, so it is of no use to address them by their surnames," Saito explained. He too, had changed to addressing Chizuru by her name, and Kazama by his using honorifics. After all, they were in the main village of the Kazama village, where its denizens had hair and eyes in various shades of red and gold. It would take a while to recognize who was whom, but they had now gotten used to it.

"Toshizou-san still calls Chikage by his surname though," Chizuru explained. Hijikata was a stubborn man with stubborn principles, as always. For whatever reasons, he had refused to revert to addressing Kazama in a familiar manner, and it mattered little because Kazama seemed to return the favor.

"Hijikata-san, you're just as stubborn as a mule," Heisuke teased.

"By the looks of it, a certain groom-to-be is one as well," Souji added, not forgetting that Kazama would most likely be roaming around the hall that they were placed in. He had not made fun of Hijikata for far too long, and he would relish every opportunity to do so as long as they were there in the Kazama village.

Over tea, they talked about the months that had passed from the time Souji, Shinpachi and Heisuke left for Edo, and up until they had returned to Sakurajima with Kondou, Sannan, Yamazaki and Shimada. They realized that as the seasons passed in the year 1869, Edo no longer existed, and in its place, was Tokyo. To secure the peace of the nation, the capital of Japan was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo, where both the Shogun and Emperor reigned hand in hand, and only in name. The government of Japan was to be fully westernized, and many Western experts in every field were recruited from Europe and even the United States of America. The Shinsen-Gumi, or what remained of it, were absorbed into the police force, acting as agents for the new government.

"It's a whole different world now," Shimada reported. "White men are donning our clothes as they walk the streets, while our people wear Western suits instead. It's almost as if the war didn't happen at all."

"And electricity!" Kondou suddenly burst out. "Toshi, Harada-kun, Saito, we have electricity in our headquarters now!"

As they talked, Chizuru slipped out of the hall and smiled to herself. It had been too long since they were all together, just talking about everything under the sun. Such a happy reunion should be celebrated among themselves, they who had set out from Edo, to fight in Kyoto, and now, they who served in both Tokyo and Sakurajima.

"You should remain with them, Chizuru," Kazama told her when he spotted her on the corridor. "They are your family as well." From his rivals, the men that were in that hold, talking and drinking tea over old time's sake, they were now his surrogate brothers-in-law. In the months that they had spent not as enemies, but as allies, he had discovered that it was not difficult for anyone to fall for them, even as comrades in arms. Each and every one of them held one another close to their hearts, and they were greatly repaid in loyalty and friendship. That was how the Shinsen-Gumi had been bound to one another.

Chizuru shook her head. "I just wanted to get some fresh air," she told him with a smile. Together, they walked towards the veranda and sat down there, where she would lean her head on his shoulders. "Ne… Chikage, by this time tomorrow, we would be husband and wife…"

"Getting anxious, are we?" he asked her with a sly smile, running his fingers through her long hair. "Perhaps we should advance to the main event first?" he suggested, pulling her towards him in a manner that had been more intimate than what she had used to. His strong arm bound her to him just under her bustline, while the kiss that followed… she was sure then that married life with Kazama would be much, much more than she had expected.

* * *

In the following morning, the entire Kazama village was in a ruckus even before the sun had risen. The villagers went in and out of the kitchens, preparing food for all the guests that would arrive, while those of the Kazama clan shuffled from room to room, getting ready for the many ceremonies that entailed an Oni wedding.

Chizuru, finally the blushing bride, was dressed in white, as if she were a human bride, per her request. The bridal kimono that she wore was one that was made of the silks from the Kazama village, and had been passed down from generation to generation. Sen-hime, despite her lofty status, had acted as Chizuru's attendant, for the love of her friend, and helped her to put on the heavy kimono, as well as to set her hair into an elaborate wedding hairstyle.

"Chizuru-chan, you look beautiful!" Sen-hime exclaimed, showing Chizuru her reflection in the mirror. Her visage had been one even more lovely than the time she had disguised herself as a geiko. She looked every inch the woman she had grown into, and she no longer cast her head down in demure embarrassment. This time, she held her head high, a sign that even she, had been made anew with the trials that she had faced.

"You really think so, Osen-chan?" Chizuru asked, taking a moment to take a look at herself. For some reason, she found out that the red lips that she had sported suited her somewhat, but at the sound of the shoji doors to her room opening, revealing Kazama, dressed a black hakama with a blood-red gi. He was one that preferred to wear yukata, even in winter, but those clothes on him… it suited him well, for some reason, bringing greater attention to how fair he actually was, and how his hair reflected the color of the sun.

"Here she is, my beautiful wife," he said, walking towards her, taking her hand in his. "Come, they are waiting for us," he told her, pressing the back of her hand to his lips. With a nod to Sen-hime, who followed closely behind, he led her to the main hall, where their guests were waiting for them to start the wedding ceremony.

The Oni were an irreligious people, having being nearly immortal themselves, and thus did not have weddings like the humans in their country. However, they revered their ancestors, and many of the details in the wedding ceremony were to honor them.

The first would be the pouring of Sake at the tombstones of their ancestors. There in the cemetery of the Kazama village, the bride and groom poured three cups of Sake each onto the tombstones of Kazama's deceased parents, and one that had been erected to mark Chizuru's birth parents and that of Kaoru's as well. Three sticks of incense were left at each tombstone, and they soon returned into the main hall of the Kazama manor to continue with the remaining ceremonies.

Once inside again, the bride and groom gave each and every one of their guests a toast of sake. Kind words and words of congratulations were given, the others were too interesting to be missed.

"It feels as if my own daughter is getting married," Kondou sighed. His daughter was still only a child, and he had hoped that she would find a husband as loving as Kazama had been to Chizuru.

Meanwhile, Souji's interests were more in-line with that of Hana's. "Chizuru-chan, I'd suspect that you would be very, very  _busy_  from now on," he said to Chizuru after she had given him a toast. "I would expect Hana-baa wants at least a dozen Oni children running about the house…" Chizuru's face flushed red immediately, causing everyone to laugh, Hana leading the ring of laughter, showing her agreement to Souji's words.

"I wish the two of you well," Hijikata said when his turn came, by then, Chizuru was already cornered by Shinpachi, Heisuke and Harada. "Kazama, I hope that you would treasure Chizuru, perhaps even more than I could… May your love for her never falter."

"Finally, the illustrious Hijikata Toshizou gives his blessing," Kazama returned. "It took you long enough." He knew the nature of the words that Hijikata had told him, words that meant that he too once loved Chizuru as Kazama himself did now. He had been right that a woman like Chizuru would be wasted if she had remained with him. It was not that Hijikata was too weak a man to ever love her. It was because of his great strength that Chizuru would not gain that of her own. He loved her too deeply and too fiercely to ever allow her to feel even an ounce of pain. "I thank you, for entrusting her to me."

Hijikata would always be the pair of eyes watching over Chizuru. It was his form of penance, not to her, but to himself. He felt that if he had failed to give her the happiness that she had deserved from him, then he would watch her gain that which she had fought to gain herself. Kazama had proven himself worthy of Chizuru many times over, and Hijikata would let go of her, and place her into his hands.

"There is one thing that I must tell you as well, Hijikata," Kazama continued. "You may be mortal, but you and yours have sworn yourselves to protecting Chizuru henceforth, in Oni lands. There is a strange magic where our dwellings are concerned. So long as you drink our waters, and eat the foods from our lands, perhaps the signs of age would be delayed somewhat. I cannot tell you how many years your life will extend to, all I can say is that so long as you stay with us, you will not age, and nor will you fall to sickness, until your oaths can no longer be fulfilled."

Smiling, Hijikata nodded. "Aa," he replied, and released Kazama from his company. He had felt what Kazama said, in a way, ever since taking permanent residence in the Kazama village. He was still a man deep in his prime and vigor, and he showed no signs of slowing down at all… Perhaps, it was not too bad a fate, to be able to die when Chizuru does. The Oni lived long lives, but they were not utterly deathless. It would be time enough for him, he was sure of it.

"Chizuru, you truly deserve every single happiness you have now," Saito said to Chizuru. "All this you see before you, cannot be achieved without the strength you have in you." Unlike Hijikata or Harada, he had never once tried to pursue Chizuru for all he had thought of her, through whatever means. It was not the fact that he was too shy, but for the fact that he felt that she was like the light – too pure, utterly unreachable. For a long time, he knew that his love for her could never be, and he was content to just watch her, and to protect her if he needed to. He would do so still, until the ending of his days. "I am happy for you."

"Thank you, Hajime-san," she replied with that warm smile of hers, and was returned with one of his. Saito had always been there for her, to protect, and to support her, and she was glad that he would remain with her. She was utterly happy, to know that even now, now that she had chosen a completely different path, Saito, Hijikata and Harada would still be with her.

* * *

The day's festivities dragged on and on, and lasted well into the night when it ultimately ended. A new room was given to both Chizuru and Kazama. A wider, more spacious room, one fit for the clan leader and the new matriarch of the Kazama clan. Auspicious words were written in white paper, stuck onto every conceivable corner of the room, and for the occasion, they were presented with a new double futon, with blankets embroidered by Hana herself. The motif was of utter magnificence, reflecting both Chizuru and Kazama, similar to the silk screen that she had in her old room. At the very center of the blanket was a great sakura tree in full bloom, and among its boughs, were little birds that were amber, sapphire and amethyst in color. The sakura tree's trunk was intertwined with a creeping rose plant, its blossoms blood-red in hue, surrounded by other tiny flowers that were violet and sky-blue.

"With this night, starts the future that we have fought for, Chizuru," Kazama told her, holding her close to him as they laid in their matrimonial futon. "Are you afraid?"

Chizuru smiled, and shook her head. "As long as you're with me, I won't ever be afraid again," she told him, a truth that resounded again and again. She no longer had any reason to fear. She now had the ability to fight if she was cornered, the strength to face the deepest and darkest conflicts of the soul. It was all thanks to him that she now had these gifts. All thanks to him that she was no longer the girl that ran from the shadows on a snowy night in Kyoto city where its denizens would make it rain blood in secret. All thanks to him, that she was now a woman of confidence, because he had teased her so much she was sick of it and decided to tell him precisely what she thought of his ill-devised habits.

"From now on, we are a family," he told her, kissing her deeply. "I will not allow you to escape me."

"I won't leave you even if you wanted me to," she replied, giving into him completely. With him beside her, there was no longer the need to feel afraid that he would one day leave her. They would live long years with one another, and she would no longer need to feel alone.

Perhaps for Chizuru, the days that followed since she had taken Kazama's hand had been a quest as well. It was a quest to find herself, and to discover what she had truly wanted for herself. In those days that had passed since she had taken his hand, she had learned that she too, could be strong, like all those around her.

The quest had ended thus far, but their lives had only just begun.

 


	31. Epilogue

The baby came in the middle of the night, and it was three weeks early.

Immediately, Chizuru was tended to by an army of midwives, headed by Hana and Sayo, who had already recovered from the initial shock of being a Rasetsu, leaving the men out of the room that had already been prepared to receive the baby.

"I can't believe the baby is here…" Saito murmured, his eyes cast down onto the ground, as if he was talking to himself, while Hijikata and Kazama practically tried to claw down the doors to the birthing room in desperation.

"Maa… maa, let the women do what they do best," Harada reassured them. "Chizuru is a strong woman, she can handle it."

Kazama heaved a heavy sigh. "Oni births are more dangerous than human births," he told Harada. "I have every reason to be anxious, Sanosuke." His ultimate goal in life was to sire a strong heir for his clan, but ever since he suddenly remembered that Chizuru was only in her twenties, and was still very young in the terms of their people, he started to have doubts on starting a family so soon. The danger in carrying an Oni child in the womb was that there would be a great transfer of Ki at birth, due to the differences of Ki outside and inside the womb. If the Ki derived from the mother was too much, then there would be a chance for the mother to die in her weakened state, while if the child received too little, he or she would be unable to survive until they could generate their own at about a few weeks later.

Chizuru's pregnancy had been a smooth one, and that in itself was already a blessing. The morning sickness had been bearable, and luckily enough, nothing untoward had happened, especially with her three excellent guardians that were constantly by her side.

"Kazama, do Oni women often die in childbirth?" Hijikata asked Kazama. Concern was clearly written all over his face, and Kazama knew that it was only fair that he answered it.

"There is a high chance of it," Kazama replied. "However, those of pure-blood would have a greater chance of survival. There might yet be some hope for Chizuru." It was only a fool's hope, because his own mother was also a pure-blooded Oni and yet she died of childbirth bringing him into this world. If their child survives, he or she would be the only child born of a union of two pure-blooded Oni from the two greatest Oni clans. Their ideal mate would only be any offspring sired by Sen-hime, and no other… However, there was no need to think of such things, when mother and child were still in great danger.

* * *

Within the birthing room, the womenfolk were constantly on their toes. Hours had passed since Chizuru's water had broken, and still there was no sign that the child was coming. Chizuru had lost a lot of blood, and was now losing her consciousness.

"You must fight this, child," Hana said to her granddaughter-in-law, taking her hand. Chizuru herself was a powerful Oni woman, and her child would have even greater powers, therein lies the risk of giving birth to such a child. Slowly opening her eyes, Chizuru nodded and tried to push again, only to find her strength giving out and slumping back onto the futon. "You have fought through many dangers, and you would certainly survive this."

Chizuru knew more than anything that she had to survive this. The child would be the greatest gift she would ever give her husband, an heir for the Kazama clan, and she would live to see her own son or daughter grow up to receive all the blessings the world had to offer. She would live to see her child find love and marry, and in turn, give her grandchildren as she had done for Hana… That was all that she had asked for.

Once again she pushed, and received encouraging news. "I see the head!" a midwife exclaimed.

"Just a few more pushes," Hana told Chizuru, who did just so. With one last final push, the child was safely delivered, wailing loudly. Relieved, Chizuru sank back onto the futon, exhausted from the experience while the midwives tended to the newborn while she prepared for the expulsion of the afterbirth.

"You have a daughter, Chizuru-sama," the midwives reported to Chizuru with a smile. Soon, she was given the child, now cleaned and swaddled in thick, silken cloths. Her daughter was dark of hair like her, having Kazama's ruby eyes. She was cooing by the time Chizuru had her in her arms, and was soon fast asleep.

The men were then admitted into the room, and Kazama raced towards Chizuru. "Are you well, Chizuru?" he asked her, in relative disbelief of the sight of his wife holding their child. "Is the baby…"

"I have a great granddaughter," Hana proclaimed to her grandson. "Congratulations, Chikage. You are now a proud father." Daughters were highly valued among the Oni… There was no doubt at all that their daughter would be a jewel among their people.

"She is beautiful," Kazama said, caressing his daughter's tiny cheeks.

Hijikata, who came to Chizuru's bedside next said, "She looks just like you, Chizuru." There was no doubt that the newborn would be a great beauty in the future, if not a powerful Oni leader like her father.

"She will be greatly loved," Saito added, noting that the girl was the first female child born to the Kazama clan in many years. There would be no doubt that this girl would be wanting of love and affection.

Harada, grinning from ear to ear asked, "What will you call her?"

Chizuru took a great pause, and looked out the window. There, she saw the garden of roses that Kazama had tended in relative secret, in honor of his parents. Nearby was a sakura tree, given to them when it was still a sapling by Kondou as a personal wedding gift, because he knew how much Chizuru had loved the great sakura tree at the Nishi Hongan-Ji. At that moment in time, a thought came into both her and Kazama's mind, a wish that their daughter would roam free amongst fields upon fields of flowers.

"Senka," the both of them said in unison. The newborn was hence named Kazama Senka 风间千花. She would be the new heir of the Kazama clan, and would soon carry the hopes and prayers of their family as her father and mother once did for theirs.

"Senka-chan, happy birthday," Harada offered, after receiving permission from the proud parents to hold her.

"She is so small…" Saito murmured, looking at Senka as she slept, unknowing of the many people surrounding her, people that had loved her from the very moment they laid eyes on her. He was at a loss for words, having only witnessing the miracle of life for the first time in his memory. But this child… this newborn was the child that they had sworn to protect along with Chizuru. At that time, Saito asked himself, who would refuse to protect such a harmless, innocent and pure a creature?

"Soon, she will most likely be a handful," Hana chuckled. "There are too many of you men here to spoil her." She had seen how greatly Chizuru's three protectors indulged her, and even until this day, they were able to find things to please her with that Kazama had not known, even after three years of living in Sakurajima with them. She shuddered to imagine what kind of havoc those three would wreck upon her great granddaughter.

"Maa, Hana-baa, she  _is_  the Ojou-sama of the Kazama clan after all," Hijikata concluded, obviously hinting a great many things to Kazama on the sidelines of his words. "It's within right reason for anyone to want to spoil her."

Kazama ignored Hijikata and merely focused his attention on his wife, who was now exhausted, leaving his grandmother and the others to fawn over their daughter. "You have done well, my lovely wife," he told her, kissing her forehead. With the arrival of Senka, his duties to his own family had already ended. "She is too great a gift to be granted to me."

Chizuru smiled. "She's our daughter, Chikage," she reminded him, resting her head on his shoulder. "She's your gift to me as well." Deep down inside her, Chizuru knew that she would not have the energy to give Kazama another child. He had been right, that two powerful Oni would beget offspring of even greater power, and she was not sure if she could survive delivering another child of such greatness. Senka would be their only child, and she swore that she would love and protect her with all her being.

Kazama smiled, and put an arm around his wife as they watched as Hijikata transferred the baby to Saito, who seemed that he would have blacked out from the nervousness of handling a baby for the first time. Chizuru was so tired that she could only smile and watch, while Kazama made sure that they did not go overboard with the baby. There was no doubt that he would be a highly jealous father when Senka grew up, and would most likely threaten to kill every single suitor for her hand if he deemed them unworthy.

But that was a long time away in the future. For now, Senka was just a newborn, a child born in a family built upon loyalty, duty and trust, and that of great power. She was loved, and it was all that matters.


End file.
